WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Civil Partnerships

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether the Government's legislative proposals for the registration of civil partnerships in religious settings will include protection in law against suits brought against a minister of religion under human rights legislation for refusing to conduct a civil partnership ceremony in a place of worship.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 10 March 2011
	Civil partnerships are conducted by civil registrars designated by local authorities.
	When commenced, section 202 of the Equality Act 2010 would insert a sub-section in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which states:
	"For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Act places an obligation on religious organisations to host civil partnership registrations if they do not wish to do so."
	We have been very clear that we will not force religious organisations to host registrations on their premises and that ministers of religion could lawfully refuse to if they do not wish to do so.

Equal Opportunities: Nationality

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what guidance  (a) the Government Equalities Office and  (b) the Equality and Human Rights Commission issues on the practice of businesses offering discounts to persons based on their nationality.  [Official Report, 5 April 2011, Vol. 526, c. 13MC.]

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office has not issued any specific guidance relevant to the practice of business offering discounts to persons based on their nationality. The European Court of Human Rights has published non-statutory guidance on the Equality Act 2010 for service providers.
	It would not normally be lawful for a business to offer discounts based on the protected characteristic of race, which includes nationality and ethnic or national origins.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Audio Equipment: Regulation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which private sector organisations  (a) his Department and  (b) Ofcom consulted to determine the areas which contain critical levels of wireless microphone usage; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, my officials spoke to Ofcom, who advised that Ofcom holds a regularly updated database which shows all licensed PMSE spectrum use since 2000. This enables them to identify which locations in the UK-have significant historic peak PMSE spectrum demand. Furthermore, Ofcom consults regularly with its contracted PMSE spectrum licensing body, JFMG, to understand which future events are likely to require significant quantities of spectrum for PMSE.

BBC: Radio

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the proposed changes to the structure of local BBC radio stations; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: We have received no formal representations on the proposed changes to the structure of local BBC radio stations. However, we understand the proposals to be part of a wider review of BBC activities and that no decisions have been made at this time.

Communications Bill

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will bring forward his proposed Communications Bill in the next Parliamentary session.

Jeremy Hunt: holding answer 18 March 2011
	We will publish a Green Paper by the end of 2011. The public consultation that follows will inform a draft Communications Bill to be produced by mid-2013. Our aim is to complete the legislative process by the end of this Parliament. The timetable is designed to ensure that there is sufficient time to have a full and open dialogue about the complex issues involved and reflects the importance of this sector to the UK.

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which public bodies sponsored by his Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

John Penrose: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments was announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website and can be found at the following link:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/public-bodies-reform-proposals-change
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb
	and
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

National Lottery: Young People

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of people aged 16 and 17 who played National Lottery games and  (b) the amount they spent in the 12 months for which figures are available.

John Penrose: The National Lottery Commission has advised that it does not hold this information. The age of national lottery players and their expenditure is not recorded at the point of purchase.
	The British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010 contains data on the percentage of 16 to 24-year-olds who have participated in national lottery draws and scratchcards in the past year. It shows that 42% have played national lottery draw games in the past year, and 34% have purchased scratchcards:
	 Page 38
	http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/British%20Gambling%20Prevalence%20Survey%202010.pdf

Ofcom: Finance

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer on 9 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1087W, on Ofcom: finance, with reference to note 30 to the accounts on page 103 of the Ofcom Annual Report for 2009-10, for what reasons Ofcom owes £29.3 million to central Government bodies; what plans there are to recover those funds; and for what reasons such liabilities arose.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 18 March 2011
	As I said in my answer to the hon. Member's previous question about this on 9 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1087W, this is grant in aid paid in line with agreed procedures with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is appropriately classified within Ofcom's statutory accounts under International Financial Reporting Standards conventions.
	In addition, BIS has provided a loan of £2,036,000 to Ofcom to enable them to undertake work to meet their obligations under the Digital Economy Act 2010. Those costs will fall to industry, but will not be recouped until the code of practice comes into force, at which time Ofcom will repay the loan to BIS.
	Ofcom's 2009-10 Annual Report lists £29.238 million grant in aid paid by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in respect of the following Ofcom activities for the months of April, May, June and July 2010:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Spectrum Management 22.5 
			 Spectrum Awards 1.8 
			 Spectrum Clearance 41 
			 Ex-Post Competition 0.7 
			 Other-online copyright infringement, local media, digital participation and postal integration 0.1

Rugby

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will meet representatives of the Rugby Football Union, Network Rail and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to consider changes to Twickenham railway station ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Hugh Robertson: I regularly meet representatives of the Rugby Football Union and have discussed the matter with them. I am content to meet representatives of Network Rail, Richmond council and the Rugby Football Union. However, changes to Twickenham rail station are a matter for the Department for Transport.

Sky News

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will put in place arrangements for guarantees in respect of the independent ownership of Sky News beyond the current proposed 10 year period.

Jeremy Hunt: I am currently consulting on the undertakings offered by News Corporation, which includes the 10-year arrangements for Sky News, and will consider this issue in the light of the responses.

Video Games: Age

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what research his Department has carried out on levels of use of 18-rated computer games among children.

Edward Vaizey: My Department has carried out no research into the use of 18 rated computer games among children. However, 18+ rated games make up only 5% of all games made and account for between 6% and 8% of all games sold in the UK. It is an offence punishable by up to six months in prison to supply any British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rated game to someone who does not meet the age requirement. All 18 rated games are currently classified by the BBFC.

Video Games: Violence

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on measures to restrict the  (a) promotion of and  (b) condoning of violence and misogyny in (i) computer games and (ii) marketing of computer games.

Edward Vaizey: Games are classified according to guidelines set out by either the British Board of Film Classification or the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) system. These take into account the content, and games that contain violence or misogyny would be classified accordingly. We are working with the video game industry to ensure it does all it can to increase parents' understanding of age ratings and of improved parental controls on equipment.
	The advertising of computer games is controlled through the UK Advertising Codes, which are robustly administered by the independent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The codes require that all video games advertising should be socially responsible and that ads for games carrying a PEGI rating of 15+ are not targeted at audiences below the age of 16. Should the ASA find that an advertiser has breached the advertising codes, they will not hesitate to take action.

White Space Devices

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential effects of white space devices on the programme making and special events sector; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the provisional parameters set by  (a) Ofcom and  (b) the programme making and special events spectrum band manager to prevent spectrum interference from white space devices; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, my officials spoke to Ofcom, who said that Ofcom has made clear it will only authorise licence-exempt use of spectrum by white-space devices if they protect licensed users, including programme-making and special events, against harmful interference.

White Space Devices

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what advice his Department has received from Ofcom on the testing of white space devices before they are granted licence-exempt access to the spectrum; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Ofcom on the testing of the recommended operational parameters for unlicensed white space devices set out in Ofcom's Implementing Geolocation consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, my officials spoke to Ofcom, who said that Ofcom is still considering responses to its consultation and will refine its plans for future work in the coming months.

HEALTH

Caffeine: Young People

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to introduce an age limit for the purchase of energy drinks containing high levels of caffeine.

Anne Milton: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has no plans to recommend the introduction of an age limit for the purchase of energy drinks containing high levels of caffeine. FSA is not aware of any evidence of a direct, long term link between caffeine consumption and altered behaviour to support legislation in this area.
	FSA will continue to monitor any new emerging scientific evidence in this area.
	In the United Kingdom many high caffeine drink manufacturers already voluntarily include advice about their unsuitability for children and pregnant women because of their high caffeine content. Additionally, new European legislation under negotiation on food labelling may require such statements as mandatory.

Contraceptives

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which areas his Department is undertaking pilot studies on the distribution through pharmacies of the morning after pill to girls aged 13 and over.

Anne Milton: The Department is not undertaking any pilot studies on the distribution through pharmacies of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), also known as the morning after pill to girls aged 13 and over.
	Health professionals such as pharmacists can legally provide EHC to under-16s, under local national health service arrangements, if they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and after encouraging them to talk to a parent. The decision to develop arrangements for pharmacists to supply emergency contraception is taken by the local NHS.

Departmental Assets

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether receipts from the sale of assets owned by regional development agencies are reflected in the spending plans of his Department for  (a) 2012-13 and  (b) 2013-14.

Simon Burns: The Department has no funding link to the regional development agencies and hence cannot use receipts from the sales of any of their assets in its spending plans.

Departmental Procurement

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts with private sector organisations his Department has entered into in each month since May 2010; and what the  (a) monetary value of the contract,  (b) contracted company,  (c) scope of the contract,  (d) date of the contract,  (e) length of the contract and  (f) name of the previous contract holder is in each case.

Simon Burns: The Department's business management system contracts database comprises centrally held information on contracts, and this information has been placed in the Library. Until 7 March 2011, however, procurement in the Department was primarily devolved to individual directorates and as such, a comprehensive record of all contracts entered into by the Department for the dates requested is not held centrally.

Departmental Public Bodies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of 30 public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility and  (b) the change in function of one such body.

Simon Burns: The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, (Mr Maude) issued a written ministerial statement on 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10WS, updating Parliament on progress with the public bodies reform. That statement announced that Departments' estimate that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	The 40 health bodies listed in the Public Bodies Reform-Proposals for Change document are a mixture of advisory non-departmental public bodies (31, of which, 23 will be abolished or be reconstituted as a Department of Health or Public Health Service expert committee) and executive non-departmental public bodies (nine, of which, seven are to be abolished).
	In terms of the Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies, the current costs are small and the opportunities for savings are corresponding in size.
	For the group of executive non-departmental public bodies, savings will accrue not just from the seven bodies that are leaving the sector, but also through efficiency savings from those remaining. An analysis of all nine executive organisations listed in the Cabinet Office document (Alcohol Education and Research Council, Appointments Commission, Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, General Social Care Council, Health Protection Agency, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), Human Tissue Authority (HTA), Care Quality Commission and Monitor-for HFEA and HTA the plan is for them to leave the sector at the end of the parliamentary session) indicates that £67 million could be saved in grant in aid in 2011-12.

Epilepsy: Drugs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the availability of stiripentol; whether he has received the draft guidance from (NICE) on the availability of stiripentol for the treatment of epilepsy; if he will direct (NICE) to develop separate guidelines on the availability of stiripentol; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing its clinical guideline on epilepsy in children and adults and issued a draft for consultation in January 2011. The draft guideline includes a recommendation on the use of stiripentol for the treatment of Dravet syndrome in children and young people in whom first-line treatment has proved ineffective or has not been tolerated.
	We have had no discussions with NICE on stiripentol, and have no plans to ask NICE to develop specific guidance on this drug. There are no national restrictions on the availability of stiripentol on the national health service within its licensed indication and advice to clinicians on its use is included in the British National Formulary for Children which is made available free of charge to NHS prescribes.

Flu: Vaccination

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he had with the Scottish Government in relation to the availability of flu vaccine in 2010-11; and what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the availability of the vaccine in 2011-12;
	(2)  what assessment he made of the potential to obtain supplies of influenza vaccine from the Scottish Government in 2010-11.

Anne Milton: Departmental officials approached Government officials in Scotland about whether they had any surplus vaccine for use in England. Officials in Scotland said that they may be able to provide some vaccine once they have met local needs but this would only be a nominal amount and wouldn't be available straight away.
	Officials have also had an initial exchange of views on planning for the seasonal flu vaccination programme for 2011-12.

General Practitioners: Certificate of Completion of Training

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialty registrars  (a) failed to achieve a Certificate of Completion of Training and  (b) left the medical profession as a result in each of the last three years.

Anne Milton: This information is not held by the Department.

General Practitioners: Certificate of Completion of Training

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practice registrars  (a) failed to achieve a Certificate of Completion of Training and  (b) left the medical profession as a result in each of the last three years.

Anne Milton: This information is not held by the Department

Health Services: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the provision of  (a) cancer services and  (b) mental health services in the West Midlands.

Paul Burstow: 'Improving Outcomes-A Strategy for Cancer', published on 12 January 2011, sets out a range of measures to improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services in England. Backed by more than £750 million over the next four years, the strategy sets out the Department's plans to improve earlier diagnosis, access to screening and treatment and improve patients' experience of care, putting patients and the public at the heart of cancer services.
	The strategy sets out actions to tackle preventable cancer incidence, improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services; improve patients' experience of care; improve quality of life for cancer survivors; and deliver outcomes that are comparable with the best in Europe.
	The impact assessment published alongside the strategy shows how we can save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through early diagnosis and improved access to screening and radiotherapy.
	To support the national health service to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer alongside efficiency savings, the strategy is backed by over £450 million investment over the spending review period. The earlier diagnosis money will:
	give general practitioners (GPs) increased access to key diagnostic tests;
	allow for the increased testing and treatment costs in secondary care associated with more people being diagnosed;
	support campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and getting symptomatic patients to present earlier; and
	support GPs to diagnose cancer earlier, including support on when to commission and how to interpret diagnostic tests.
	This funding is part of over £750 million additional funding for cancer over the spending review period to support delivery of 'Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer'. This includes funding for screening (flexible sigmoidoscopy) and radiotherapy (proton beam therapy) announced earlier in the autumn.
	The Department published the national 'No Health Without Mental Health' strategy on 2 February 2011. It has the twin aims of promoting and sustaining good mental health and well-being in the wider population, and improving the quality of existing services for people across the full range of mental health problems. It looks at prevalence of problems and effective approaches at different stages in life, stressing the importance of prevention and early intervention.
	Although a national strategy, it illustrates how local health organisations could make real improvements in quality of life for people with mental health problems.
	The Department's work with partners, including the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, has made it clear that the context for this strategy is one of great financial pressure; so it has focused on priority areas of improvement while leaving plans and actions to local decision making. So this strategy should inform local planning, but not constrain it.
	The approach to quality and outcomes is about shifting responsibility to the local level; there are no national performance management and no targets. Our focus will be on ensuring local areas have access to information that supports their individual approaches and enables individuals, neighbourhoods and communities to make appropriate change happen in a reformed system. This is not about central Government enacting change from the centre.
	The Government expect clinicians in all areas to follow the guidance in both documents.

NHS: Disciplinary Proceedings

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical staff in  (a) NHS foundation trusts and  (b) each such trust were suspended on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: This information is not held by Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) or the Department.
	The National Clinical Assessment Service collects data relating to the suspension of doctors and dentists. This does not specifically identify exclusions from foundation trusts.

NHS: Manpower

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) consultants and  (b) other medical staff the NHS employed in each year since 2008.

Simon Burns: The following table gives the number of consultants and other medical staff employed by the national health service in 2008 and 2009. Details of staff employed in 2010 will be available after publication of the annual NHS Workforce Census on the 22 March 2011.
	
		
			  Hospital and community health services: medical and dental staff as at 30 September each year 
			  numbers (headcount) 
			   2008  2009 
			 All medical and dental staff 98,703 102,961 
			 Consultants 34,910 36,950 
			 Other staff 63,793 66,011 
			  Note:  Data quality The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where changes impact on figures already published this is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source:  The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Nurses: Sick Leave

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of  (a) nurses and  (b) doctors in the NHS were on (i) sick leave for a period of seven days or more and (ii) maternity or paternity leave in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The NHS Information Centre currently only provides sickness absence rates for the English national health service.
	Work is under way to develop additional statistics to cover other causes of absence and to provide figures in terms of days lost. However, currently no figures are published in the format requested.
	The published sickness absence statistics for the English NHS are available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/workforce/sickness-absence

Potassium Iodide

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stocks of potassium iodide tablets his Department holds for the purposes of protection of the public in the event of a nuclear accident.

Anne Milton: The United Kingdom Government have established an extensive stockpile of medical countermeasures to be used to protect and treat the public in the event of a wide range of possible incidents or attacks-one of which might be a nuclear incident. Potassium iodate tablets are included in the stockpile, but for obvious reasons of security, it would be inappropriate to specify further what particular countermeasures are held, the quantity in which they are held and where they are located.
	The UK Government constantly review their requirements in line with the assessed threat of a particular incident occurring.

Queen's Hospital Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent reports he has received on the adequacy of staffing at Queen's Hospital, Romford; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England. Providers of regulated activities must be registered with CQC, and comply with registration requirements regulations that set out essential levels of safety and quality. CQC assesses how trusts comply with these legal requirements and it has the power to impose a range of sanctions where breaches are found. CQC issued warning notices to Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust on 3 March 2011 highlighting concerns about staffing in the maternity unit at Queen's hospital.
	Previously, on 21 December 2010, the CQC published compliance reports on both King George hospital and Queen's hospital. There was a compliance action relating to staffing.

Queen's Hospital Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effect on Queen's Hospital, Romford of the closure of the maternity ward at King George Hospital; what provision has been made to receive maternity patients at Queen's Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: It is for the local national health service to assess and provide adequate services to meet the needs of its local population.

Screening: Babies

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration was given to including lungs in the NHS newborn and infant physical screening programme.

Anne Milton: All parents of newborn babies are offered the opportunity to have their child examined shortly after birth and between six and eight weeks of age. The screening component includes an examination of the baby's eyes, heart, hips and testes in boys. This is part of a general physical examination, which would include an examination of the lungs. The lungs were not considered for specific inclusion in the screening component because of the variable symptoms and the lack of evidence to meet the criteria of a safe and effective screening programme.

Surgery

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures were cancelled or postponed on the day that they were scheduled to take place in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: 16,785 elective operations were cancelled on or after the day of admission for non-clinical reasons between October and December 2010. As a percentage of total elective activity, cancelled operations remain low, at 1%.
	These data are published on a quarterly basis on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/Cancelledoperations/index.htm

Surgery: Admissions

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of same day admissions for surgical treatment were treated on the day of admission in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The proportion of same day admissions for surgical treatment treated on the day of admission, in 2009-10, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   All elective surgeries  Elective surgeries with main operation on the day of admission  Percentage treated on same day 
			 2009-10 6,691,947 6,267,724 93.7 
			  Notes:  1. These figures represent a count of episodes and not the number of patients, as a patient may have been admitted on more than one occasion.  2. Activity in English NHS hospitals and English national health service commissioned activity in the independent sector.  3. These data include admissions for all elective surgery, including day case admissions.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics, The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Tobacco: Sales

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he had with the Reducing Regulation Committee prior to announcing his decision to implement the tobacco display ban; and what steps he has taken to ensure the arrangements for implementing the ban comply with the Government's one-in, one-out policy on regulation.

Anne Milton: The Government's decision to implement the legislation ending the display of tobacco products in shops in England was reached after due consideration by the appropriate Government Ministers. The arrangements for implementing the legislation will comply with the Government's one-in, one-out policy on regulation.

Tobacco: Sales

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which authorities will be responsible for  (a) supporting and  (b) enforcing compliance by small businesses with the proposed tobacco display ban.

Anne Milton: Local authority trading standards officers will be responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of the legislation ending the display of tobacco products in shops in England.
	Departmental officials will work with the Local Government Group and with representatives of retailers to develop guidance for retailers and local trading standards officers. The guidance will aim to build compliance by making sure all parties have clear information about the regulations.

Tobacco: Sales

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to make the proxy purchasing of tobacco products for minors a criminal offence.

Anne Milton: We have no proposals to bring this forward at present. The Department has however commissioned a review of the evidence about the sources of tobacco for children, which will report back later this year. In addition, the Department has in recent months been working closely with local government regulation and local council trading standards officers who have been collecting information on the level of proxy purchase of tobacco products in a number of local authority areas. Future policy options will be considered in the light of the evidence gained from these sources and in line with the Tobacco Control Plan for England, published on 9 March 2011.
	A copy of the plan has already been placed in the Library.

Tobacco: Sales

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to lay before the House regulations for the implementation of the proposed tobacco display ban.

Anne Milton: We will bring forward amending regulations as soon as practicable, after they have been considered under the European technical standards directive. The regulations need to be submitted in draft to the European Commission, followed by a three-month "standstill" period. Should any party lodge a detailed opinion on the regulations, the "standstill" period will be extended by a further three months. Regulations cannot be made and laid in Parliament during this period.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legal advice she has received on the introduction of  (a) a voluntary and  (b) a mandatory minimum price for alcohol.

James Brokenshire: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has received legal advice on alternative forms of alcohol pricing. This included advice about the risk of minimum unit pricing being found to be unlawful under EU Law and advice on a prohibition on below cost sales including if the floor price is set at duty plus VAT. However, the content of legal advice is subject to legal professional privilege and it is not appropriate to set it out at this stage other than in terms of the areas to which it relates.

Antisocial Behaviour: Fixed Penalties

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by  (a) police forces and  (b) local authorities for offences of (i) fly-tipping, (ii) graffiti, (iii) dog fouling, (iv) dropping of litter and (v) parking in each year since 2006.

James Brokenshire: Offences of dog fouling, the dropping of litter and parking offences are summary offences and do not feature in the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. The Home Office does collect penalty notice for disorder (PND) data on recorded offences of criminal damage, which includes graffiti-related offences, although these are part of an aggregate count and therefore cannot be separately identified.
	Within the Home Office classification of "Public Health offences", there are two sub-classifications which would cover the offence of fly-tipping although the actual term 'fly-tipping' is not specified. These sub-classifications cannot be separately identified from the police recorded crime statistics and in practice, it is more likely that offences of fly-tipping would be reported to and recorded by the relevant local authority.
	Information on fixed penalties for motoring offences (FPNs) reported to the Home Office shows that there were 496,000 FPNs issued for 'obstruction, waiting and parking offences' in 2006, 447,000 in 2007 and 332,000 in 2008. Data for 2009 are scheduled to be published in April 2011.
	In addition to the FPNs for motoring offences as collected by the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) collects data on fixed penalty notices for disorder offences such as 'depositing and leaving litter', which can be accessed via the following link to the MoJ website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/chapter2-penalty-notices-for-disorder.xls
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) publishes data on fixed penalty notices for environmental offences. The most recent published information can be found on the DEFRA website which can be viewed at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/local/legislation/fpn/

Criminal Records

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to increase sharing of criminal records files with other EU member states.

Lynne Featherstone: Criminal record exchange within the European Union takes place within the framework of Council Decision 2005/876/JHA on the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record. Between 2007-08 and 2009-10 the amount of criminal convictions exchanged has increased:
	Notifications received of UK nationals convicted in the EU increased from 3,120 to 6,298.
	The number of notifications from the UK to other member states about the convictions of one of their nationals here has increased from 12,736 in 2007-08 (when only the first conviction of an EU national was sent) to 33,583 in 2009-10 (when all convictions were sent).
	The number of requests received for the criminal record of UK citizens subject to criminal proceedings in other member states has increased from 190 to 341 in the same time period.
	The number of requests made by the UK police and law enforcement agencies in relation to EU nationals subject to criminal proceedings here increased from 2,372 to 6,513.
	As a result we now know a significant amount about the offending of UK nationals abroad and the previous offending history of EU nationals being prosecuted here. A new Framework Decision (2009/315/JHA) will make exchange mandatory from April 2012 and so we expect to see further increases in exchange.
	The UK Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records is leading a project to look at how the exchange of fingerprints can confirm the identity of individuals being prosecuted in the UK so that the correct previous convictions can be obtained from the country of nationality. Significant results have already been obtained through finding out the true identity of individuals being prosecuted here.
	The UK Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records has also begun to exchange criminal convictions electronically with other member states through the Network of Judicial Registers Project. Electronic exchange is quicker and cheaper than existing methods and should ensure that there is a continued increase in the number of criminal record files exchanged with other EU countries.

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which public bodies sponsored by her Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following her appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Damian Green: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments, including the Home Office, were announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 was published on the Cabinet Office website on 16 March 2011.
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Departmental Rail Travel

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of civil servants in her Department are entitled to travel first class by rail within the UK.

Damian Green: Staff at senior executive officer (SEO) grade and above are entitled, as part of their terms and conditions of employment, to travel first class for business. The need to travel and ticket cost must be given due consideration.
	In spring 2010 the Permanent Secretary issued austerity instructions to senior managers to reduce all travel by using alternatives such as video and/or telephone conferencing and to avoid first class travel as far as possible. The Department has significantly reduced first class travel by removing this option completely from the online travel booking service.
	In principle, we have 4,015 staff (14.5% of total staff employed), across the Home Office and its agencies (UK Border Agency, Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau ) with a contractual entitlement to travel first class; however, with booking accessibility severely restricted, first class travel is significantly reduced. For example, first class rail ticket costs accounted for less than 0.7% of total rail costs in January 2011 compared to 37.8% of total rail cost in January 2010.
	Policy on all business travel is currently under review.

Detention Centres: Children

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether travel documentation has been obtained for all the families who have participated in the family return conferences to date, including the pilots.

Damian Green: Families will be invited to a family returns conference when they have exhausted all legal avenues open to them and where they either hold a valid travel document or where any documentation barriers can be resolved in parallel with the returns process.
	The UK Border Agency will not need to obtain travel documentation for all families in the returns process. This could be because all family members are already in possession of genuine travel documents or where a family has submitted further submissions or legal applications which are being considered.
	Information is not centrally held on whether travel documentation has been obtained for all the families who have participated in family returns conferences. This information could be supplied by examining each individual case record only at disproportionate cost.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used for awarding highly-trusted status to language schools; and what guidance her Department has provided to such schools on  (a) highly-trusted status and  (b) liaison with the UK Border Agency.

Damian Green: Full guidance on the criteria for awarding highly trusted sponsor (HTS) status to language schools is available on the UK Border Agency website.
	In summary sponsors applying to be a highly trusted sponsor need to have held an A rated sponsor licence for at least six consecutive months prior to the date of application. They must also be able to demonstrate a good record of compliance with sponsor duties. These duties are outlined in the published guidance.

Foreign Nationals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what schemes her Department operates to assist foreign nationals who wish to cease to be resident in the UK to leave voluntarily.

Damian Green: Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programmes are available to assist those in the UK asylum system and those who are in the UK illegally who wish to return voluntarily and permanently to their country of origin (or, where permanently admissible, to a third country). There are currently three general AVR programmes which are co-funded with the European Return Fund:
	Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP) is for those who have sought asylum and those with certain forms of related temporary status in the UK. Returnees receive support in acquiring travel documentation, flight to country of origin and onward domestic transport, airport assistance at departure and arrival airports and up to £1,500 worth of reintegration assistance per person including a £500 relocation grant on departure for immediate resettlement needs, additional luggage allowance and, once home, a range of reintegration options. The majority of returnees use their reintegration assistance in income generation activities.
	Assisted Voluntary Return for Families and Children (AVRFC) is for families comprising of a maximum of two adult parents or legal guardians and at least one child (under 18) and from unaccompanied children (under 18) who have either sought asylum or who are in the UK illegally and wish to return home. Returnees receive support in acquiring travel documentation, flight to country of origin and onward domestic transport, airport assistance at departure and arrival airports and up to £2,000 worth of reintegration assistance per person, including a £500 relocation grant on departure for immediate resettlement needs, additional luggage allowance and, once home, a range of reintegration options. The scheme offers flexibility of reintegration for the whole family and increased emphasis is placed on the use of reintegration assistance for educational needs as well as income generation.
	Assisted Voluntary Return for Irregular Migrants (AVRIM) is for those migrants who have not sought asylum, but who are in the UK illegally and wish to return home. Returnees receive support in acquiring travel documentation, flight to country of origin and onward domestic transport, and airport assistance at departure and arrival airports. There is generally no reintegration assistance for AVRIM applicants; however, there is discretionary reintegration assistance of up to £1,000, considered on a case by case basis, available for vulnerable applicants. In addition to the general AVR programmes, the Facilitated Return Scheme is designed to help non-EEA foreign national prisoners return and reintegrate back into their home country. The main aim of the scheme is to promote and assist the process of early removals by encouraging full compliance and cooperation of foreign national prisoners wishing to return voluntarily.
	Applications for the scheme are accepted from non-EEA nationals who have been convicted and are serving or have served a custodial sentence in a UK prison. Those who apply for and are accepted for the Facilitated Return Scheme will receive a cash payment of between £750 and £1,500 to help them build a new life on return to their home country.

Foreign Workers: EU Nationals

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many migrant workers entered the UK from the EU Accession countries in each year since 2004.

Damian Green: Nationals of countries that acceded to the EU in 2004 and 2007 are no longer subject to immigration control, so their entry to the UK is not recorded.
	The following tables provide the number of nationals from the EU Accession countries who applied for permission to work under the restrictions imposed on the access of Accession state nationals to the labour market.
	
		
			  Nationals of Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia (A8 nationals) 
			   Total 
			 2004 144,068 
			 2005 276,491 
			 2006 341,020 
			 2007 359,498 
			 2008 315,452 
			 2009 239,383 
			 2010 261,588 
			 2011 40,632 
			 Total 1,978,132 
		
	
	
		
			  Bulgaria and Romania (A2 nationals) 
			   Total 
			 2007 11,482 
			 2008 8,624 
			 2009 8,008 
			 2010 9,074 
			 2011 1,810 
			 Total 38,998 
		
	
	These figures are based on management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics. They are provisional and may be subject to change.

Human Trafficking

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to publish the scoping study on human trafficking for forced labour.

Damian Green: We are investigating the feasibility of publishing an executive summary of the scoping study on human trafficking for forced labour.

Human Trafficking

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to publish the scoping study on human trafficking for domestic servitude.

Damian Green: We are investigating the feasibility of publishing an executive summary of the scoping study on human trafficking for domestic servitude.

Illegal Immigrants

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notifications the UK Border Agency received relating to individuals detained by police who were found to be in the UK illegally in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many such notifications were acted upon; and how many such notifications resulted in the UK Border Agency taking into custody the individual in question for deportation or other enforcement action.

Damian Green: Where necessary, UK Border Agency officers will attend police stations with a view to establishing the identity and circumstances of the individual and serving them with the appropriate paperwork, such as a form notifying them that they have entered the UK unlawfully. Subsequent actions vary depending on the nature of the case, but can include the individual being transported to and detained in an immigration removal centre pending their removal, or being transported to the asylum screening unit if they advise that they wish to make an asylum application (this also may result in their detention as part of the asylum determination process).
	For the period April 2010 to February 2011, the UK Border Agency received a total of 22,522 inquiries from the police about suspected immigration offenders. All inquiries received were considered for appropriate action but many were cleared by checking UK Border Agency records. 7,239 of these inquiries received from the police resulted in a visit by an immigration officer. The outcome from these visits was that in 3,497 instances at least one individual was arrested for an immigration offence.
	It is not possible to provide the number of individuals who were taken into custody or to provide the number who were subsequently removed from the United Kingdom as this information is not recorded centrally. To establish these figures would require a manual examination of individual case records at a disproportionate cost.
	The figures provided are sourced from management information tools and are not quality assured under National Statistics protocols. Figures provided do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated as provisional.

Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on immigration to the UK.

Damian Green: Officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are routinely consulted on immigration policy proposals and changes both in London and overseas. Discussions between the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), take place regularly, as and when appropriate.

Immigration Control

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the Government's policy on  (a) immigration and  (b) border control; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Government are committed to reducing net migration and eliminating abuse of the immigration system, both in country and at the border. From July to September 2010 we consulted on how a limit on non-EU economic migration should work, while recognising the need to attract the brightest and the best migrants to the UK. Further details of representations received for the limits consultation can be found on the UK Border Agency website. We announced our response to this consultation in November 2010. In addition we held a public consultation on the student visa system, the results of which will be published in due course. Representations from a wide variety of organisations, other Government Departments and individuals have been received in response to both consultations.

Liberal Democrats: Conferences

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of the provision of policing and security for the 2011 Liberal Democrat Spring Conference.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 18 March 2011
	The Home Office does not hold information on the costs of the security and policing operation for the 2011 Liberal Democrat spring conference.
	Special grant funding is available to help meet costs where necessary additional expenditure incurred would otherwise create a serious threat to a police authority's financial stability and their capacity to deliver normal policing. We have not received an application from South Yorkshire police.

Police: Pensions

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to ensure that the duties and responsibilities of police officers are taken into account in the review of public sector pensions by Lord Hutton.

Nick Herbert: The police pension schemes are included in the scope of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, led by Lord Hutton. The commission's final report, which was published on 10 March, makes recommendations on how public service pensions can be made sustainable and affordable in the long-term and fair to both the public service work force and the taxpayer. The Government will consider the commission's findings, taking into account the duties and responsibilities of police officers, before proposing any changes to the police pension schemes. Any changes will be subject to the normal consultation processes with the Police Negotiating Board in line with statutory requirements.

Police: Retirement

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2011,  Official Report, column 44W, on police: retirement, if she will review the operation of Rule A19 following the report of Lord Hutton on public sector pensions.

Nick Herbert: The Government are considering the recommendations published by Lord Hutton in the final report of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission on 10 March and will respond in due course.
	The Government are also considering the recommendations published by Tom Winsor in the Part 1 Report of the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions on 8 March 2011 (Cm 8024). He has recommended that the criteria for the use of the powers in Regulation A19 should be amended, with service-critical skills and performance being explicit considerations.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much money the Serious Organised Crime Agency has recovered in  (a) Northern Ireland,  (b) England,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Wales in each year since its inception;
	(2)  what the estimated monetary value is of assets recovered by the Serious Organised Crime Agency in each year since its inception.

James Brokenshire: The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) does not break down recovery of assets by country as SOCA is a UK-wide organisation. The figures for the whole of the UK for each year are available in their annual reports on their website:
	http://www.soca.gov.uk/

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many buildings on her Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions her Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Damian Green: The Department obtained an interim possession order on one property briefly occupied by squatters in December 2009 prior to its sale in April 2010.

Visas

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many visas to enter and remain in the UK have been revoked in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people who had their visas revoked and were scheduled for removal in each of the last five years were not subsequently deported.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not keep a central record of the number of individuals whose leave was curtailed or revoked for breaching their visa conditions. This information could be obtained by the detailed examination of individual case records only at disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT

Cycling England: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the budget for Cycling England  (a) was in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11 and  (b) will be for (A) 2011-12, (B) 2012-13, (C) 2013-14 and (D) 2014-15.

Norman Baker: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) Cycling England's budget in:
	(i) 2009-10 was £60 million;
	(ii) 2010-11 was £58 million.
	 (b) Cycling England will cease to exist on 31 March 2011 and therefore has no budget beyond this date.

Driving Tests

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of trends in driving test pass rates since the introduction of the approved driving instructor test.

Michael Penning: No assessment of trends in driving test pass rates has been made since the introduction of qualifying examinations for approved driving instructors over 40 years ago.

Driving Tests

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the pass rates for  (a) Part 1,  (b) Part 2 and  (c) Part 3 of the approved driving instructor test.

Michael Penning: No such assessment of pass rates for approved driving instructor tests has been made.

HM Coastguard

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has assessed the merits of a five-year transition period between the current and proposed operating models of HM Coastguard.

Michael Penning: In developing the proposal outlined in the consultation document 'Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century' the Maritime and Coastguard Agency made a strategic assessment of what time might be required to achieve a transition from the current HM Coastguard structure to the proposed new operating model. This process concluded that a transition plan of five years or over was not necessary.

HM Coastguard

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has conducted a risk assessment in respect of the transition period for the re-configuration of HM Coastguard.

Michael Penning: No final decision has yet been taken regarding the re-configuration of HM Coastguard.
	An assessment of the risks presented by any transition from the current structure to that which is agreed following the public consultation will be undertaken once this decision has been made. This will involve assessing the impacts and risks to public safety and HM Coastguard's international obligations and provide appropriate risk management strategies when implementing potentially significant change to staff, infrastructure and concept of operations.

HM Coastguard

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken in respect of  (a) staff and  (b) administration of on-going operations in Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres that are due to be closed after the reconfiguration of HM Coastguard.

Michael Penning: No final decision has been undertaken on the reconfiguration of HM Coastguard. Any decision on whether a Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCC) remains open or closes will only be taken following the completion of the current public consultation.
	As part of this consultation the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has asked for comments and supporting evidence on any factors relevant to such decisions. I have extended the period for written submissions to the consultation by six weeks until 5 May 2011 to ensure these factors are fully considered.
	Therefore the ongoing administration of all MRCCs remains subject to the normal operational procedures of HM Coastguard. Since the consultation was launched on 16 December 2011 the senior management of the MCA has fully engaged with the staff covered by these proposals. This has involved staff meetings attended by senior managers to respond to questions. The MCA's chief executive will have visited all MRCCs to both talk to, and take questions from staff, by the end of the consultation period.

London and Southeastern Railway: Passengers

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rate of  (a) punctuality and  (b) cancellation of passenger rail services operated on routes on the Southeastern franchise other than over High Speed One was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 2 March 2011
	The Department for Transport does not hold performance data for southeastern at the level of detail requested. Network Rail is responsible for performance data for the rail industry. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for such information:
	David Higgins
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London N1 9AG

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he considered operating models in other countries when developing the proposed operating model for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and whether he had discussions with corresponding agencies in other countries.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) maintains close contact with international coastguard organisations both within the European Union and North Atlantic rim. It should be noted that these countries organise their coastguard functions very differently making it difficult to directly compare them to Her Majesty's Coastguard.
	However, when considering the proposals the MCA did assess whether any element would be in contradiction to operational practice elsewhere in the world; no such contradiction was found. The Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) manual published by the International Maritime Organisation states:
	"Every SRR [Search and Rescue Region] has unique transportation, climate, topography and physical characteristics. These factors create a different set of problems for SAR operation in each SRR. Such factors influence the choice and composition of the services, facilities, equipment and staffing required by each SAR service."

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reduce the costs of motor insurance premiums for drivers who are between 17 and 25 years of age.

Michael Penning: holding answer 7 March 2011
	The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and younger drivers pay more because they pose a higher risk to insurers. The Government are, however, taking a number of measures to help mitigate insurance costs, including steps to tackle uninsured driving and insurance fraud and to reduce the costs of litigation.
	Continuous insurance enforcement will come into effect in the next few months to identify uninsured vehicles, which will make it harder to evade detection and penalties if vehicles are driven without the driver being insured. We are working with insurers to allow them access to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency drivers' database in order to tackle insurance fraud at the underwriting stage. The Ministry of Justice has consulted on measures for reducing litigation costs and working with enforcement agencies and insurers to tackle fraud. These steps will all help to reduce insurance premiums, including for young drivers.
	We are also considering how the driver testing and training process can be improved to better prepare new drivers for the roads, and therefore reduce their risks and hence insurance premiums.

Rolling Stock

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the saving to the public purse of not introducing an all-electric fleet of trains under the Intercity Express Programme.

Theresa Villiers: Introducing the bi-mode option for the Intercity Express Programme is estimated to save around £200 million (net present value) as compared to introducing a fleet of all-electric trains to be coupled to a diesel locomotive beyond the electrified sections of the railway.

Sea Rescue: Falmouth

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were applied by his Department when taking the decision to place an HM Coastguard sub-centre at Falmouth rather than Brixham.

Michael Penning: The proposed locations of sub-centres are based on a range of operational and value for money factors. These are outlined on pages 22 and 23 of the consultation document 'Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century', which was published on 16 December 2010. Further detail is available in the supporting document 'Location Impact Assessment and Sub-Centre Rationale', which was published on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) website:
	www.mcga.gov.uk
	on 11 February 2011.
	As part of this consultation the MCA has asked for comments and supporting evidence on any factors relevant to these choices. I have extended the period for written submissions to the consultation by six weeks until 5 May 2011 to ensure these factors are fully considered.

Tolls: EC Action

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of  (a) the Eurovignette directive and  (b) whether it will entail any cost to (i) the public purse and (ii) motorists; whether he has considered proposals for the introduction of further road tolls; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The Eurovignette directive sets out common rules for levying charges or tolls on heavy goods vehicles. It does not require such charging. As such the directive does not entail any cost to the public purse or to motorists.
	The Government plan to introduce a charging scheme for heavy goods vehicles, compatible with the directive and compensating UK hauliers as far as possible for the new charge.
	There will be no national road pricing scheme for cars in this Parliament, nor any preparation for one. Tolling new roads will be considered on a case by case basis.

Transport for London: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the revenue budget was for the general Transport for London grant as allocated  (a) for 2010-11 by the previous administration and  (b) in the March 2010 budget.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport's 2010-11 general Transport for London grant was £2,872 million. This figure was agreed as part of the Spring Supplementary Estimate process under the previous Administration and was not revised in the March 2010 budget.

Transport: Free Schools

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department plans to issue to free schools on the safety of children travelling to and from free schools.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has developed educational resources covering the safety of children on all journeys. These are available to all schools, and to children and their parents.

Trust Ports

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responsibilities he has for trust ports.

Michael Penning: Each trust port is an independent statutory body, governed by its own local legislation without shareholders and controlled by an independent board. The Secretary of State for Transport is responsible for policy towards trust ports in England and Wales. Ports policy is a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Wrexham Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department first received notice that the Wrexham and Shropshire Railway was to cease operations.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 8 March 2011
	The Department for Transport was made aware that the company was about to cease operations on 25 January 2011.

JUSTICE

Alcoholic Drinks: Convictions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were found guilty of  (a) drunk and disorderly behaviour and  (b) drunk and aggravated behaviour in each police force area in England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for selected offences under the Licensing Act 1872 and Criminal Justice Act 1967, by police force area, England and Wales in 2009 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for selected offences under the Licensing Act 1872( 1)  and Criminal Justice Act 1967( 2) , by police force area, England and Wales, 2009( 3,4) 
			   Found guilty 
			  Police force area  Licensing Act 1872  Criminal Justice Act 1967 
			 Avon and Somerset 46 189 
			 Bedfordshire 6 35 
			 Cambridgeshire 51 107 
			 Cheshire 5 428 
			 City of London 1 40 
			 Cleveland - 313 
			 Cumbria 24 323 
			 Derbyshire 3 221 
			 Devon and Cornwall 148 688 
			 Dorset 10 226 
			 Durham 4 101 
			 Essex 9 293 
			 Gloucestershire 1 50 
			 Greater Manchester 1 711 
			 Hampshire 36 481 
			 Hertfordshire 2 80 
			 Humberside 4 158 
			 Kent 23 314 
			 Lancashire 5 1,199 
			 Leicestershire - 59 
			 Lincolnshire - 127 
			 Merseyside 7 1,839 
			 Metropolitan police 28 1,111 
			 Norfolk 1 232 
			 North Yorkshire 49 307 
			 Northamptonshire 2 57 
			 Northumbria 38 3,118 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 283 
			 South Yorkshire 2 837 
			 Staffordshire 83 230 
			 Suffolk 3 25 
			 Surrey 29 115 
			 Sussex 91 413 
			 Thames Valley 34 233 
			 Warwickshire 1 91 
			 West Mercia 5 370 
			 West Midlands 6 1,098 
			 West Yorkshire 26 1,067 
			 Wiltshire 4 90 
			 Dyfed-Powys 27 106 
			 Gwent - 241 
			 North Wales 6 139 
			 South Wales 11 175 
			
			 England and Wales 834 18,320 
			 (1) Licensing Act 1872 S.12-Drunkenness, simple Being found drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises (2) Criminal Justice Act 1967 S.9-Drunkenness, with aggravations Being guilty while drunk of disorderly behaviour (3) These statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice

Bail

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department issues to magistrates on granting bail to a convicted defendant in circumstances where the case has been sent to the Crown Court for sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not issue guidance on the grant of bail in these matters, which is at the discretion of the court.

Chief Coroner

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the potential savings to his Department of removing the posts of  (a) chief coroner,  (b) deputy chief coroner,  (c) medical adviser to the chief coroner and  (d) deputy medical adviser to the chief coroner.

Jonathan Djanogly: None of the posts have yet been brought into operation, so abolition would not give rise to any savings for current expenditure. The financial impact of full implementation of Part One of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, which provides for each of these posts, has been estimated at £10.9 million in set-up costs, and £6.6 million in running costs.

Crime

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were arrested for an offence but then either charged with or prosecuted for a lesser offence  (a) before and  (b) after the matter reached court in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: It is not possible to derive how many people arrested for an offence were prosecuted for a lesser offence as arrests data collated by the Home Office are not linked to court proceedings data collated by the Ministry of Justice.
	Charging data are not collected centrally.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hammersmith of 10 November 2010,  Official Report, column 394W, on criminal injuries compensation, when he plans to complete the review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Crispin Blunt: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is currently subject to review. We intend to bring forward proposals in due course.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to bring forward proposals to change the categories of people eligible for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; whether he plans to change the monetary value of awards made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; whether the Government has commissioned research into options for the reform of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; and what plans he has for the funding of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in each of the next four years.

Crispin Blunt: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is currently subject to review. We intend to bring forward proposals in due course.
	The budget for compensation payments for England and Wales will remain at its current level for the next financial year. The budget for future years has not yet been decided.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in respect of how many cases under consideration by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority the claimant had not been notified of a resolution on the latest date for which figures are available; how many of those cases had been filed more than  (a) six,  (b) 12,  (c) 18 and  (d) 24 months prior to that date; how many compensation awards to victims of crime are outstanding; and how many such people have been waiting for such awards for more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) nine months and (iv) one year.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Outstanding cases as at 11 March 2011 47,505 
			 Cases less than six months 22,727 
			 Greater than six but less than 12 months 11,349 
			 Greater than 12 but less than 18 months 4,919 
			 Greater than 18 but less than 24 months 2,664 
			 Greater than 24 months 5,846

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many award decisions made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in the last  (a) six and  (b) 12 months have been referred to a Criminal Injuries Compensation tribunal; and how many such tribunals have (i) overturned and (ii) amended the award.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   In last six months  In last 12 months 
			 Cases appealed 1,408 2,844 
			 Decisions overturned 302 443 
			 Awards amended 328 490

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority: Terrorism

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many individual payments the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority made in respect of  (a) terrorism-related and  (b) non terrorism-related cases in each of the last five years; and what the mean average payment was in each category in each such year.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) pays awards based on the injuries people receive, not the crime they were a victim of, and therefore do not hold that information.

Domestic Violence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what targets his Department has set for the progression of court cases related to domestic violence offences; and how his Department collects information to assist in monitoring progress towards such targets.

Jonathan Djanogly: There is no separate target for the progression of domestic violence offences. There is a target for the progression of all adult charged cases in the magistrates courts to reduce the average time from charge to disposal to six weeks or less. Latest data from the Time Intervals Survey collected in December 2010 shows that there has been a significant national improvement from 8.8 weeks (baseline set in March 2007) to 6.4 weeks.

Family Breakdown

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of family breakdown since his appointment.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice does not have a direct role to play in reducing the incidence of family breakdown. However, we are committed to encouraging the public to resolve their issues out of court without recourse to public funds, using simpler, more informal remedies where they are appropriate. Therefore, we want to ensure that everyone involved in family proceedings, whether publicly funded or not, is aware of family mediation as an alternative means of resolving disputes to going to court.
	On 23 February I announced that we will be increasing awareness and understanding of family mediation through a new Pre-Application Protocol for Family Mediation Information and Assessment meetings.
	My Department is also working closely with the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions with the aim of joining up support to separating and separated parents so they receive the help they need to work together and make post-separation arrangements that are in their children's best interests.

Interim Possession Orders

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions for breaching interim possession orders there were in each year since 2007.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences of failing to comply with requirements of an interim possession order from 2007-09 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Court proceedings data for 2010 are planned for publication in spring 2011.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, England and Wales, 2007 to 2009( 1,2,3) 
			  Description  Statute  2007  2008  2009 
			 Failure to leave land within 24 hours of interim possession order or returning within one year of it Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s.76. 1 1 1 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Juries

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate has been made of the number of defendants who elect for jury trial at the Crown court each year for either way offences where magistrates have accepted jurisdiction and deem the cases to be suitable for summary trial in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table contains the latest available data for the first three quarters of 2010, showing the breakdown between the number of either-way cases that went to the Crown court:
	(i) on the direction of the magistrates court, and
	(ii) by the defendant's election.
	
		
			  Number of triable either-way cases committed to the Crown court for trial, by reason for committal, England and Wales, 2010 Q1 to 2010 Q3( 1, 2, 3) 
			 Reason for committal 
			   Quarter  Total  Unrecorded  Defendant election( 4)  Magistrate direction( 5) 
			 2010 Q1 16,072 4,454 2,636 8,982 
			  Q2 15,447 2,395 2,913 10,139 
			  Q3 15,298 4,647 1,881 8,770 
			 (1) The reporting period is based on the date the case was committed to the Crown court. (2) Only includes committals direct from the magistrates court. Excludes bench warrants executed and transferred cases. (3) Excludes voluntary bills and transfer certificates. (4) Includes defendants that elect for trial in the Crown court. (5) Includes defendants who are committed for trial to the Crown court 'on direction of the magistrates' and 'on direction of the magistrates after a request from the prosecution'.  Source: HM Courts Service CREST System.

Olympic Games 2012

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what specific guidance his Department plans to issue to  (a) businesses and  (b) ticketing agents on the sale of London 2012 Olympics hospitality packages.

Crispin Blunt: We have no plans to issue guidance specifically in relation to corporate hospitality packages at the London 2012 Olympics.
	The issue of corporate hospitality will be covered in the guidance I will be publishing under section 9 of the Bribery Act about commercial organisations preventing bribery. This will make clear that corporate hospitality which seeks to improve the image of a commercial organisation, better to present products and services, or establish cordial relations, is recognised as an established and important part of doing business, and it is not the intention of the Act to criminalise such behaviour.

Police: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1271W, on assaults on police: sentencing, for what types of indictable-only offence a caution was issued between 2007 and 2009.

Crispin Blunt: The number of offenders cautioned for indictable only offences, by offence group and offence class, England and Wales 2007 to 2009 (latest available) are shown in the table.
	The answer of 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1271W, presented 5,371 cautions for indictable only offences in 2007. Further investigation has revealed that cautions for two offences included in this figure had been incorrectly recorded on Ministry of Justice systems as indictable only. Once these offences are removed the number of cautions for indictable only offences in 2007 is 2,676. The table as follows includes a full offence breakdown.
	Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned( 1,2)  for indictable only offences, by offence group and offence c lass, England and Wales, 2007- 09( 3) 
			  Offence group/offence class  2007  2008  2009 
			  Violence against the person
			 Threat or conspiracy to murder 6 3 4 
			 Wounding or other act endangering life 142 109 129 
			 Endangering railway passenger - 6 1 
			 Malicious wounding 401 192 91 
			 Procuring illegal abortion 1 1 2 
			 
			  Sexual offences
			 Buggery 4 - - 
			 Indecent assault on a male 2 1 7 
			 Rape 34 35 22 
			 Indecent assault on a female 51 31 31 
			 Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 10 9 4 
			 Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 154 154 140 
			 Incest 11 7 7 
			 Procuration 1 2 - 
			 Abduction - - 2 
			 Sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder 5 2 1 
			 Child prostitution and pornography - - 1 
			 
			  Burglary
			 Burglary in a dwelling 141 106 74 
			 Aggravated burglary in a dwelling (including attempts) 4 5 2 
			 Burglary in a building other than a dwelling 149 121 68 
			 Aggravated burglary in a building other than a dwelling 4 3 3 
			 
			 Robbery 614 382 205 
			 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 1 - - 
			 
			  Fraud and forgery
			 Conspiracy to defraud 34 31 13 
			 Offences relating to ID documents 232 259 161 
			 
			  Criminal damage
			 Arson 47 32 24 
			 Threat or possession with intent to commit criminal damage 29 19 7 
			 
			  Drug offences
			 Misuse of drugs 4 0 0 
			 
			  Other indictable only
			 Blackmail 23 16 16 
			 Kidnapping 41 26 26 
			 Perjury 13 10 11 
			 Libel - 1 - 
			 Offender Management offences - 4 23 
			 Perverting the course of justice 286 217 224 
			 Absconding from lawful custody 50 28 21 
			 Firearms offences 169 129 79 
			 Failing to surrender to bail 2 - - 
			 Other indictable offences 11 4 6 
			 
			 Indictable only offences 2,676 1,945 1,405 
			 
			  Offences incorrectly recorded as indictable only
			 Drunkenness, with aggravation 43 n/a n/a 
			 Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm 2,652 n/a n/a 
			 
			 Total 5,371 1,945 1,405 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice

Prerogative Power of Mercy

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria are in place in relation to the advice he offers on the use of the prerogative power of mercy.

Crispin Blunt: Anyone convicted of a criminal offence can seek to appeal their conviction and/or sentence. If an appeal is unsuccessful, or in exceptional cases where there has been no appeal, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) can review the case. If the CCRC think there is a real possibility that the conviction and/or sentence would not be upheld, they can refer the case back to the appeal court.
	By long-standing convention, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), would only recommend exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in relation to a criminal conviction if new evidence had come to light which had not been considered by the court and it was impractical to refer the case to an appellate court to hear the new evidence. This policy reflects the constitutional position that it is the courts, not the Government, which decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence and, if they are, the appropriate sentence.

Prison and Probation Ombudsman: Personnel

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many former Prison Service staff worked for the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007,  (d) 2008,  (e) 2009 and  (f) 2010.

Crispin Blunt: As the head of an independent organisation, it is a matter for the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to determine their staff. Staff have been recruited from a wide variety of employment backgrounds, including some having previously worked for HM Prison Service and probation. Detailed information on the precise numbers of staff, who have been employed by the prisons and probation ombudsman and previously employed by HM Prison Service, could be obtained only by access to the complete career history of all staff working for the PPO in these years. This is not held centrally by the PPO or MoJ and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prison and Probation Ombudsman: Personnel

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Prison Service staff were seconded from the Prison Service to the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007,  (d) 2008,  (e) 2009 and  (f) 2010.

Crispin Blunt: As the head of an independent organisation, it is a matter for the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) to determine their staff. Staff are recruited or seconded from a wide variety of employment backgrounds, including some who have previously worked for HM Prison Service and probation. The following table gives numbers, as supplied by the PPO, of staff seconded from the prison service.
	
		
			  Staff seconded by the PPO from the prison service by year 
			   Number of staff( 1) 
			 2005 7 
			 2006 6 
			 2007 8 
			 2008 7 
			 2009 4 
			 2010 2 
			 (1) Number seconded in December of that year.

Probation: Expenditure

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the outturn expenditure was for each probation trust in 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: The following table provides outturn expenditure for each probation trust and board in 2009-10.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Area  Probation Trust/(Board)  2009-10 
			 North East Durham Tees Valley 11 
			  Teesside 14 
			  Northumbria 31 
			
			 Wales Wales 26 
			  Dyfed Powys 9 
			  Gwent 12 
			  North Wales 12 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humber Humberside 19 
			  York and North Yorkshire 10 
			  South Yorkshire 26 
			  West Yorkshire 44 
			
			 North West Cheshire 15 
			  Cumbria 9 
			  Greater Manchester 53 
			  Lancashire 24 
			  Merseyside 33 
			
			 West Midlands Warwickshire 7 
			  West Mercia 15 
			  Staffordshire and West Midlands 59 
			  Staffordshire 17 
			
			 East of England Bedfordshire 10 
			  Cambridgeshire 10 
			  Essex 21 
			  Hertfordshire 12 
			  Norfolk and Suffolk 12 
			  Suffolk 11 
			
			 East Midlands Derbyshire 15 
			  Leicestershire 15 
			  Lincolnshire 9 
			  Northamptonshire 9 
			  Nottinghamshire 20 
			
			 South West Avon and Somerset 20 
			  Devon and Cornwall 21 
			  Dorset 10 
			  Gloucestershire 8 
			  Wiltshire 9 
			
			 London London 152 
			
			 South East Hampshire 25 
			  Kent 22 
			  Sussex 19 
			  Surrey and Sussex 10 
			  Thames Valley 26 
			
			 Total  911 
		
	
	All Probation Boards were replaced by trusts on 1 April 2011. There are currently 35 Probation Trusts in total.

Public Bodies Reform Programme

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of 11 public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility,  (b) the merger of four such bodies and  (c) the change in function of four such bodies.

Kenneth Clarke: I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-28W, on secure training centres: restraint techniques, what the nature was of the minor injuries that resulted from the use of control and restraint procedures in each young offender institute juvenile unit in each month since April 2008;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-26W, on secure training centres: restraint techniques, what the nature was of the serious injuries that resulted from the use of control and restraint procedures in each young offender institute juvenile unit in each month since April 2008.

Crispin Blunt: I have outlined in table 1 the number of minor injuries sustained as a result of using Control and Restraint (C&R) in young offender institutions (YOIs) for 15 to 17-year-olds. These have been updated since my last answer to the hon. Member for 25385 on 22 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-28W, as the data are now available for 2009-10 following the publication of the "Youth Justice Board Statistics 2009/2010".
	I have outlined in table 2 the number of serious injuries sustained as a result of using C&R in YOIs for 15 to 17-year-olds. These have also been updated since my last answer to you for 25384 on 22 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 125-26W, as data are now available for 2009-10 following the publication of the "Youth Justice Board Statistics 2009/2010".
	Data on the nature of minor or serious injuries that resulted from the use of C&R procedures are not held centrally by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). The YJB collects data across all secure establishments based on the following definitions:
	 Minor injury requiring medical treatment
	This includes cuts, scratches, grazes, bloody noses, concussion, serious bruising and sprains where medical treatment is given by a member of staff or a nurse. Treatment could include cleaning and dressing wounds, providing pain relief and monitoring symptoms by a health professional (eg in relation to concussion). This includes first aid administered by a staff member.
	 Serious injury requiring hospital treatment
	This includes serious cuts, fractures, loss of consciousness, damage to internal organs and poisoning. Where 24-hour healthcare is available the young person may remain onsite. At other establishments, the young person will be taken to a local hospital. Treatment will reflect the more serious nature of the injuries sustained and may include stitches, re-setting bones, operations and providing overnight observation.
	The nature of the injuries that have been reported in the tables will fall under these definitions specified.
	
		
			  Table 1: Minor injuries following the use of control and restraint procedures 
			   2009  2010  2009- 10 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Total 
			 Ashfield(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 6 0 9 
			 Brinsford 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Castington 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Cookham Wood 0 0 3 0 0 4 2 5 0 3 6 1 24 
			 Downview 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Eastwood Park 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Feltham 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 2 0 15 
			 Foston Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hindley 4 (2)15 (3)14 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 41 
			 Huntercombe 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 6 
			 New Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Parc 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Stoke Heath 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Warren Hill 5 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 12 
			 Warren Hill-Carlford Unit - - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Werrington 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 6 0 0 3 0 11 
			 Wetherby-Keppel Unit - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 
			 Wetherby(4) 0 1 1 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 9 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Serious injuries following the use of control and restraint procedures 
			   2009  2010  2009-10 
			   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Total 
			 Ashfield(1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brinsford 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - - - 0 
			 Castington 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Cookham Wood 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 
			 Downview 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Eastwood Park 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Feltham 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Foston Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hindley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Huntercombe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 New Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Parc 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stoke Heath 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Warren Hill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Warren Hill-Carlford Unit - - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Werrington 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Wetherby-Keppel Unit - - - - - - 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Wetherby(4) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) Data are not collected separately for Phoenix Unit (a specialist unit) within Ashfield YOI. (2) and (3) The spike in May-June 2009 has been explained by the decommissioning of Lancaster Farms YOI site which led to a sudden influx to Hindley YOI of young men from outside the traditional catchment area for the YOI. This, combined with the increasing overall numbers, contributed to a short period of instability, including increased assaults amongst the young people. The YOI introduced a new 'rewards and sanctions' system for the inmates which helped bring stability from July 2009. However, it should also be noted that the information collected on injuries after restraint may include pre-restraint injuries (such as injuries from a fight or assault). (4) Data are not collected separately for Anson Unit (a specialist unit) within Wetherby YOI.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1283W, on sentencing, what assessment has been made of the potential effects on  (a) the police,  (b) businesses,  (c) individuals and  (d) the probation service of increasing the maximum discount available for an early guilty plea.

Crispin Blunt: If an increased discount for an early guilty plea had the desired effect of encouraging defendants to plead guilty at an earlier stage in the proceedings, it would potentially reduce burdens on the police (and the Crown Prosecution Service) to the extent that less effort would need to be devoted to assembling evidence, and on the probation service to the extent that where shorter sentences were imposed, a smaller percentage of offenders would be subject to post release supervision and these periods of supervision would also be shorter resulting in a reduction in probation workload, although it would also be possible for there to be greater demand on the service through a long community order rather than a short prison sentence. Victims and witnesses would benefit from a prompt resolution of the case, as they would no longer need to worry about having to go to court to give evidence. We would not anticipate that there would be any effect on businesses.

Sentencing: Appeals

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1284W, on sentencing: appeals, what power a Crown court appeal tribunal has to send a case to the Crown court for sentence where it believes that the magistrates court's powers are insufficient in all circumstances.

Crispin Blunt: When the Crown court determines an appeal against conviction or sentence in a magistrates court, its sentencing powers are limited to those that were available to the magistrates court.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the  (a) median and (b) longest waiting time was for appeals to be heard in respect of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) employment and support allowance in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) median and  (b) longest time period between (i) application for appeal and (ii) determination of that appeal in respect of (A) disability living allowance and (B) employment and support allowance in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) median and  (b) longest waiting time for an appeal to be heard in respect of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) employment and support allowance in each region in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Tribunals Service is collating this information. I will write to the hon. Member shortly and put a copy of the answer in the Library of the House.

Theft: Dogs

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether theft of a dog is a crime; and what the sentencing guidelines are in connection with such an offence.

Crispin Blunt: A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it. The maximum penalty is seven years' imprisonment. The Sentencing Guidelines Council, the predecessor body to the Sentencing Council, issued guidelines on theft and these can be accessed on the council's website.

Victims: Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the monetary value is of outstanding compensation payments to victims of crime.

Jonathan Djanogly: There is currently an estimated outstanding liability of around £660 million. This estimate includes all cases in the system, so most of these cases are still under investigation.

Youth Justice Board

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the potential savings to his Department arising from the abolition of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: Abolition of the Youth Justice Board is estimated to achieve savings in order of £6 million across the four years of the spending review period. Further savings may be identified during the detailed consideration of the transition although there may be transition costs to absorb from these savings.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to promote sustainable farming; and what assessment she has made on the effect this will have on  (a) Totnes constituency,  (b) South Devon and  (c) England.

James Paice: The first priority in DEFRA's business plan is to support British farming and encourage sustainable food production. Sustainable farming is essential to protect the natural resources on which future food production depends, and to protect biodiversity and the countryside. We are working closely with industry partners to achieve this: by backing the industry led Campaign for the Farmed Environment and Greenhouse Gas Action Plan. Specific support that DEFRA provides to farmers to help them undertake sustainable farming is funding via the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) in the form of agri-environment schemes such as Entry Level Stewardship, Higher Level Stewardship and Uplands Entry Level Stewardship. We also provide advice and guidance on effective nutrient management of land to maximise efficiency whilst minimising environmental impacts.
	The Department uses a number of complementary approaches to assess the economic, environmental and social impacts of sustainable farming policies, including on the wider rural economy, but measured principally at a national level. These include specific evaluation projects, such as that of the RDPE, monitoring the uptake of relevant schemes, such as Entry Level Stewardship and the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, and developing comprehensive indicator sets to monitor progress along the economic, environmental and social vectors. Among these a small number of high level impact indicators will be used to track progress with respect to the DEFRA business plan but a much wider range of information is available, in particular, from the Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory indicator set, published at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/enviro/observatory/indicators/index.htm

Anaerobic Digestion

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will set limits on the use of energy crops in anaerobic digestion programmes;
	(2)  what her policy is on the use of energy crops in anaerobic digestion programmes;
	(3)  if she will estimate the quantity of crops used in anaerobic digestion programmes in each of the last three years.

Richard Benyon: As indicated in the 'Renewable Heat Incentive' report published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on 10 March, the Government recognise that at farm scale some energy crops may be required in combination with slurries and that such crops can be grown as part of the normal agricultural rotation. Furthermore, there is land available which is not suitable for the production of food crops but which may, therefore, be used to supply energy-crop only anaerobic digestion (AD) plants. However, it is not our policy to encourage energy crop-based AD, particularly where these crops are grown to the exclusion of food producing crops.
	If evidence shows that there is a large scale use of crops in AD, and a resulting land use change to support this, then measures will be considered to address the issue. DECC and DEFRA will discuss how such a mechanism could work in practice, including possible measures to exclude the large scale use of energy crops in AD from renewable heat incentive support.

Animal Welfare

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on issuing a strategy on standards of welfare of domestic animals.

James Paice: I am not aware of DEFRA having received any recent representations on this subject.

Cotton: Subsidies

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has held with  (a) her EU counterparts and  (b) the European Commission on EU cotton subsidies.

James Paice: The UK has consistently argued within the EU in favour of decoupling and against harmful export subsidies, although the specific subject of cotton subsidies has not been raised at the Agriculture Council itself since May 2010.
	The forthcoming common agricultural policy reform negotiations will provide a major opportunity for the UK to raise this issue and seek an end to all coupled payments, including those to the cotton sector.

Dairy Farming

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of dairy farmers who have left the industry in each of the last 10 years.

James Paice: The following table gives the number of registered UK dairy production holdings recorded each June for the last 10 years for which figures are available, together with the change from the previous year.
	
		
			   Holdings  Change from previous year 
			 2000 28,422 -1,799 
			 2001 26,556 -1,866 
			 2002 24,930 -1,626 
			 2003 22,992 -1,938 
			 2004 21,616 -1,376 
			 2005 20,313 -1,303 
			 2006 19,011 -1,302 
			 2007 17,915 -1,096 
			 2008 17,060 -855 
			 2009 16,404 -656

Dairy Farming

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the  (a) number and  (b) average income of (i) farmers and (ii) dairy farmers in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Paice: The June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture shows that there were 20,000 dairy farmers(1) and 165,000 farmers in total in England at June 2009. We estimate that there were 170,000 farmers in total at June 2010; estimates are not yet available by farm type.
	The latest results from the Farm Business Survey estimate average Farm Business Income at £56,000 for dairy farms and at £43,400 for all farm types in England for the year ending February 2010. Forecasts for the main farm types have recently been published for the year ending February 2011. For dairy farms in England average Farm Business Income is forecast to be approximately £42,500.
	(1) Farmers are defined as principal farmers, partners, directors and spouses. Farm type is classified by the activity which contributes more than two thirds of the total standard gross margin for the holding. These figures relate to commercial holdings only which are those above the thresholds for the 2010 census.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers her Department paid within 10 days of receipt in January and February 2011.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the 10-day payment performance to suppliers for the core Department and Executive agencies.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   January 2011  February 2011 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 100.0 100.0 
			 Animal Health 100.0 100.0 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 73.0 92.0 
			 Rural Payments Agency 100.0 98.7 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 86.3 89.6 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 99.0 98.0 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency 88.4 94.1

Departmental Food

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she expects her Department to meet the Government's commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production;
	(2)  what her policy is on placing agencies of Government Departments under a commitment to source food that meets British or equivalent standards of production subject to no overall increase in costs.

James Paice: It is a Government commitment to ensure that food procured by Government Departments, and eventually the whole public sector, meets British standards of production wherever this can be achieved without increasing overall costs.
	We are introducing Government Buying Standards (GBS) for food and catering, which will be mandatory for central Government Departments and executive agencies and promoted to the wider public sector. The external review of our proposed GBS criteria ended on 24 January and we are taking account of all the responses before we finalise the standards this month.
	We also published new guidance in January to help ensure that Government Departments and executive agencies source food meeting British or equivalent standards of production, subject to no overall increase in costs. We will report on departmental progress against this commitment in June.

Departmental Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than  (a) £10 million,  (b) £50 million and  (c) £100 million (i) her Department and (ii) each non-departmental public body and agency for which she is responsible was engaged upon in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than  (a) £10 million,  (b) £50 million and  (c) £100 million (i) the Department and (ii) each non-departmental public body and agencies engaged upon for the periods 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			   Fiscal year 2009-10  Fiscal year 2010-11 
			   >£10 million  >£50 million  >£100 million  >£10 million  >£50 million  >£100 million 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Animal Health 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Rural Payments Agency 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Food and Environment Research Agency 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Marine Management Organisation 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Environment Agency 7 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 National Forestry Company 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Natural England 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Royal Botanical Gardens-Kew 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sustainable Development Commission 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Commission for Rural Communities 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Consumer Council for Water 0 0 0 0 0 0

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which public bodies sponsored by her Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following her appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Richard Benyon: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all departments were announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website this month.
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Departmental Regulation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions her Department has consulted representatives of small businesses on the effects of proposed new regulations since 6 May 2010.

Richard Benyon: A total of 15 formal written consultations have been launched by my Department since May 2010. Two of these consultations explored new regulations. The others were about updating existing regulations.
	All these consultations have included small businesses or the Federation of Small Businesses.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies are issued with passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 February 2011,  Official Report, column 136W. For security reasons it would be inappropriate to provide information on why individuals not employed by DEFRA are issued with passes that permit access to the Department's premises.

Dutch Elm Disease

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of elm trees that were killed by Dutch elm disease on land owned or managed by the Forestry Commission in each year since 2000.

James Paice: holding answer 3 March 2011
	The Forestry Commission does not record information about the mortality of trees due to Dutch elm disease on the public forest estate.

Farms: Sky Lanterns

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the effects on farmers and rural communities of the use of sky lanterns.

James Paice: holding answer 17 March 2011
	 I have received a number of representations expressing concerns, which I share, on the risks to livestock of releasing sky lanterns. There are concerns of fire, damage to property, littering, and harm to livestock when a lantern lands nearby or on crops for feed.
	DEFRA is working with other Government Departments and the farming unions to see what action can be taken to reduce the risks. We are urging consumers to think twice about releasing lanterns and recommending farmers remain alert to the dangers posed especially when they land near livestock or in fields of standing crop.

Fisheries

Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Environment Agency made of the recommendations and conclusions of the 2008 report by the University of Hull International Fisheries Institute on the condition assessment of Atlantic salmon in Dartmoor rivers.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency commissioned the report under the Habitats Directive Review of Consents, and it formed part of the assessment.
	The Environment Agency has since implemented a number of recommendations from the report. The monitoring programme has been extended and the Environment Agency have either amended or agreed to amend 13 abstraction licences on Dartmoor. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of water abstracted, which benefits the river environment and Atlantic salmon.

Food: Labelling

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on labelling of retail products containing monosodium glutamate.

James Paice: The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended) require additives used as ingredients in foods to be declared in the ingredients list on food labels. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one such additive and when labelled must be identified by the term "flavour enhancer" followed by either "Monosodium Glutamate" or "E621".

Forestry Commission

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to ensure that the Forestry Commission retains and develops its reserved research capability.

James Paice: We remain committed to research that will benefit the forestry industry as part of the GB activities of the Forestry Commission, and to maintaining our front-line science capacity, especially in high priority areas like plant health research. However, all activity areas have been asked to make reductions to meet the requirements of the spending review. Delivery of the Science and Innovation Strategy will remain a key element. Reducing transaction and back office costs will allow funding to be concentrated on evidence and science. High priority areas such as tree health and climate change will receive increased funding and we will work with other funders to ensure continued access to appropriate research capacity and capability, and to explore partnership opportunities to ensure best value for money.
	Forest Research, which is a GB agency of the Forestry Commission, will restructure, and reprioritise its work as a result of the spending review settlement. The devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales are being kept informed of developments. Forest Research will shortly be consulting staff on a proposed restructuring programme; no decisions will be made until the results of the consultation with staff and trade unions are known.
	Tree health and plant biosecurity is a high priority and therefore I have asked my chief scientific adviser, Professor Bob Watson, to advise on the issues, opportunities and priorities for new research, and to ensure research outputs can have maximum impact on management solutions. Professor Bob Watson is jointly leading a project with the Forestry Commission director general, Tim Rollinson, to develop an "action plan" for tree health and plant biosecurity. One strand of the action plan will consider the issues, priorities and research opportunities. Professor Watson is already taking this forward with the Forestry Commission, Forest Research and the Food and Environment Research Agency, along with other interested parties such as the research councils and experts in academia. As well as identifying priorities for research, we are keen to explore all possible avenues for partnerships and co-funding to deliver this new work.

Forests

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hectares of land were  (a) bought from and  (b) sold to (i) private owners, (ii) community or charitable bodies and (iii) other public bodies by the Forestry Commission in each year since 1981.

James Paice: holding answer 8 February 2011
	Land acquired and added to the public forest estate between January 1997 and 10 February 2011, including where the freehold of an existing leasehold wood was purchased, amounted to 5,432 hectares. Of this area, 3,986 hectares was classified as being from private owners, 242 hectares from community or charitable bodies and 1,204 hectares from other public bodies.
	Disposals from January 2003 to 10 February 2011 amounted to 7,292 hectares, of this, 6,355 hectares was classified as being to private owners, 353 hectares to community or charitable bodies and 584 hectares to other public bodies.
	Information before the dates specified above could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Forests

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she received from the Confederation of Forest Industries on her policy on the disposal of land owned and managed by the Forestry Commission.

James Paice: In the period since the end of the consultation on the future of the public forest estate in England, we have not received any written representations from the Confederation of Forest Industries (ConFor) on this matter. However, I did meet the chief executive of ConFor in February to discuss the public forest estate and since the consultation has ended, ConFor has written to request a further meeting. He has since been invited to serve on the panel that will review the future of the public forest estate in England.

Gangmasters Licensing Authority

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people worked on the enforcement of employment rights and related protections in the Gangmasters Licensing Authority in each of the last five years; how many people she expects to work on such matters in that body in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) employs a number of staff in frontline roles which support its compliance and enforcement activities. These staff are involved in processing gangmasters licence applications, analysing intelligence reports and carrying out compliance and enforcement inspections.
	The number of frontline staff employed by the GLA in each of the last five financial years is set out in the following table. The table also includes a forecast of the number of licensing, enforcement and intelligence staff the GLA expects to employ in each of the next three financial years.
	
		
			  Officer  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11  2011-12  2012-13  2013-14 
			 Licensing 4 5 5 10 8 9 9 8 
			 Intelligence 4 2 6 8 11 9 9 9 
			 Compliance(1) 10 11 10 - - - - - 
			 Enforcement 12 20 16 42 51 43 38 36 
			 Total 30 38 37 60 70 61 56 53 
			 (1) The compliance officer and enforcement officer roles were combined in 2009-10.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Somerset

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many parties were involved in the contamination of a winter oilseed rape crop with the GM trait GT73 at a location in Somerton and Frome constituency in 2008; who owned  (a) the land involved,  (b) the seed varieties contaminated and  (c) the GM trait; and whether the seed variety involved (i) has been placed on or (ii) is under assessment for inclusion on the National List of Varieties.

James Paice: Two parties were directly involved in the seed contamination incident in the Somerton and Frome constituency in 2008. They were the farmer who grew some of the affected seed in part of a field on his holding, and the company who owned the seed. The latter was a subsidiary of Aardvark Investments SA. The GT73 trait is owned by the company Monsanto. The conventional seed variety is not being considered for inclusion on the UK National List.
	The question of whether the name of the farmer involved in this incident should be disclosed has in effect just been reviewed in a relevant case before an Information Tribunal. In this, the GM Freeze organisation appealed against a decision by the Information Commissioner that DEFRA was justified in not disclosing the precise location of the Somerset incident, in part because it would serve to reveal the identity of the farmer and could unfairly prejudice his interests. After considering the matter in detail, the tribunal has recently decided to dismiss the GM Freeze appeal, upholding the stance taken by the Information Commissioner and DEFRA.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will meet representatives of the British Horseracing Authority to discuss the use of the whip in horseracing; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: There are no plans for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to meet the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
	We consider that the guidelines laid down by the BHA, in conjunction with the Animal Welfare Act, provide protection for horses against misuse of the whip.

Labelling

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of her policy on the labelling of products to indicate whether they contain material from the offspring of cloned animals since December 2010.

James Paice: The Food Standards Agency and the European Food Safety Authority have advised that, for cattle and pigs, current evidence suggests that meat and milk from healthy descendants of clones is as safe as that from traditionally bred animals. The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes reached the same conclusion on 25 November 2010.
	There is no suggestion currently that food from clones themselves would be sold for human consumption. The agency concluded on 7 December that, for food safety purposes, mandatory labelling of meat and milk from the descendants of cloned cattle and pigs would be unnecessary and disproportionate, providing no significant food safety benefit to consumers.
	It is not possible to establish whether meat or milk derive from an animal with a clone in its ancestry. Any mandatory labelling imposes costs and needs to be enforceable. Labelling to the effect that a product may be derived from an animal with a clone in its ancestry is unlikely to be helpful to consumers.
	If some parts of industry wish to set up their own system of labelling for the offspring of clones, they are of course free to do so, providing that they carry out the necessary checks to justify any claims that they make.

Milk: Prices

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of supermarkets on the proportion of the retail price of milk paid to dairy farmers; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: On 20 January I chaired the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which included representatives of supermarket retailers. We had productive discussions on the health and future of the dairy sector, the trade balance, the EU Commission's legislative proposals and industry sustainability. We did not explicitly discuss the issue of milk prices because this would not be appropriate under competition law.

Peat

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she plans to take to ensure that future peat replacement targets are met by the gardening and horticulture industry;
	(2)  what consideration she has given to the regulation of the use of peat in horticultural compost.

Richard Benyon: A public consultation on future policy to further reduce and eventually phase out the horticultural use of peat in England recently closed, on 11 March. The consultation proposed that a voluntary, partnership approach is followed to deliver phase out targets, including for the amateur gardener market and professional horticulture, and sets out the rationale for doing so. Consultation responses are now being analysed, and will inform the development of a future policy framework.

Phytophthora Ramorum

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has commissioned any research on measures to combat phytophthora ramorum; and whether she has made an assessment of its likely effects in the next 10 years.

James Paice: DEFRA has invested £1.5 million of research on Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae since April 2009 as part of its five-year £25 million Phytophthora Disease Management Programme. The Food and Environment Research Agency and Forest Research are the lead partners in carrying out the research, which supports disease management in woodlands, heathland and heritage gardens and parks. It builds on a substantial body of research funded by DEFRA, the Forestry Commission, the EU, the industry and other bodies since 2002. Progress with the research and the wider programme was reported to an open meeting in Cornwall on 11 March.
	Assessments of the likely impacts of Phytophthora ramorum have been carried out through specific UK and EU pest risk analyses and through an impact assessment which supported the business case for the DEFRA Phytophthora Disease Management Programme. Additional economic research aims to refine economic impact assessments by better determining the values of the habitats at risk (woodlands, heathland, heritage gardens).

Phytophthora Ramorum

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she is taking steps to counter the spread of sudden oak death in trees in Richmond Park.

James Paice: We are taking the spread of sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum) very seriously with a five-year, £25 million Phytophthora Disease Management Programme. Notwithstanding this the disease has not been found in Richmond park. Research and findings to date show that the areas most at risk are in the south-west and west of the country.

Plastics: Recycling

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the amount of plastic waste which was recycled in 2009-10.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA does not hold a figure for the overall plastic recycled in 2009-10. However, a report from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) "Realising the value of recovered plastic-an update" (spring 2010) estimates that around 4.5 million tonnes of plastics enters the UK waste stream each year. In 2009, it is estimated that around 900,000 tonnes of this material was recovered for recycling.

Refrigerators: Waste Disposal

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to reduce the number of supermarket refrigeration display cabinets disposed of in landfill sites.

Richard Benyon: The disposal of refrigerating display cabinets in the UK is controlled by the following regulations:
	The EC regulations on substances that deplete the ozone layer require ozone-depleting substances to be removed from commercial refrigeration equipment before it is disposed of.
	The UK waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations encourage the separate collection of WEEE, including refrigerating display cabinets, establish minimum treatment standards and set minimum recovery and recycling targets.
	The UK Government are also promoting the reuse of WEEE by providing financial and other support for the development of a publicly available specification on the "Reuse of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment-process management specification" (PAS 141).

Veterinary Services: Finance

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the budget of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate  (a) was in each of the last five years and  (b) will be in each of the next four years;
	(2)  what the budget of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency  (a) was in each of the last five years and  (b) will be in each of the next four years.

James Paice: The budgets of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) for the years requested are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   VMD  VLA 
			 2006-07 actual 3.3 100.3 
			 2007-08 actual 3.3 101.0 
			 2008-09 actual 3.5 96.2 
			 2009-10 actual 3.7 95.7 
			 2011-11 forecast outturn 3.4 74.5 
			 2011-12 budget 3.2 72.4 
		
	
	Figures for the four subsequent years are not yet finalised and will be allocated on an annual basis.

Water Abstraction

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which rivers are being investigated under the Environment Agency's Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Scheme; and in respect of which rivers  (a) preliminary investigations have been completed and restoration solutions have been recommended and  (b) preliminary investigations are ongoing.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has 226 ongoing investigations under the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme, covering rivers and wetlands. Investigations have been completed and restoration solutions recommended for 85 schemes.
	Since 2008, 321 schemes have been completed, and action has been taken to deliver environmental improvements for 143 of these. The remaining 178 schemes required no further action.
	Details of the number of investigations by river are not collated by the Environment Agency and to source the information would involve disproportionate cost. The Environment Agency is also unable to release into the public domain information that could identify individual abstractions or licence holders for reasons of confidentiality.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bahrain: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Bahraini counterpart; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: I spoke to the Bahraini Foreign Minister on 16 March to express serious concern at the deteriorating situation on the ground and to call for restraint from all sides following the declaration of a state of emergency in Bahrain.
	I stressed that it was vital that all security forces in the country exercised restraint, used minimum force and worked to create the conditions for dialogue.
	I encouraged him to return to the process of political dialogue as, even at this stage, it presented the way out of the current crisis.
	In addition to this the Prime Minister spoke to the King of Bahrain on 15 March warning against the use of force and encouraging dialogue.

Bahrain: Politics and Government

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his counterpart in Bahrain the implications of the deployment in that country of military forces under the auspices of the Gulf Co-operation Council.

Alistair Burt: The intervention by Gulf countries must be consistent with a response through reform, not through repression, and help create an environment in which dialogue can take place. We call on all security forces in the country to exercise the utmost restraint and to avoid using unnecessary force. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) stressed this point when he spoke to the Bahraini Foreign Minister, H. E. Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed on 16 March. He also urged the need for genuine political reform.

BBC World Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the 648 kHz medium radio wave frequency has been allocated to a body other than the BBC.

Jeremy Browne: The BBC World Service is still operating the 648 kHz frequency. They have said that they will be relinquishing the frequency at the end of March.
	Frequency allocation is the responsibility of Ofcom. They have said that there will be a public consultation exercise before re-allocation of the frequency.

BBC World Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate has been made of the financial saving to be achieved by the BBC World Service ceasing transmission on the 648 kHz medium radio wave frequency; and what proportion of the total planned budget reduction for the BBC World Service this amount represents.

Jeremy Browne: The BBC World Service estimates that the cessation of broadcasts on the 648 kHz MW frequency at the end of this month will save it approximately £260,000 per annum. This represents around 2.6% of the approximately £10 million annual savings the World Service plans to make in its distribution budget by the end of the first three years of the spending review period, and around 0.6% of the £46 million per annum of savings in its overall operating budget over the same period. At the end of this period the BBC World Service will be funded from the television licence fee.

British Overseas Territories

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration he has given to the recommendations of the Seventh Report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Session 2007-08, HC 147, on the Overseas Territories, in respect of the Government's oversight responsibility for the Overseas Territories.

Henry Bellingham: The Government take their oversight responsibility for the Overseas Territories very seriously.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) updated the House on our approach to the Overseas Territories in a written ministerial statement on 10 March 2011,  Official Report, column 76WS.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on  (a) salaries and  (b) pension entitlements for special advisers in the financial year 2010-11 to date.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the Cabinet Office website which reports details of special advisers employed on a quarterly basis:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases
	The estimated pay bill includes pension costs.
	Appointment as a special adviser is pensionable under the civil service pension arrangements. Special advisers have a choice of pension arrangements, which are set out in the Model contract for special advisers:
	Nuvos-a defined benefit occupational pension scheme that currently has a 3.5% member contribution rate. Employer contribution rates from 1 April 2010 range from 16.7% of pay for those earning under £21,000 a year, to 24.3% for those earning more than £74,000 a year.
	A partnership pension account-this is a stakeholder pension with an employer contribution based on age.

Departmental Public Bodies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10WS, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred of the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of three public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility and  (b) the change in function of two such bodies.

Jeremy Browne: On 16 March 2011 the Minister for the Cabinet Office issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	I anticipate net overall administrative savings from structural reforms to the Foreign and Commonwealth public bodies over the spending review period of £30,000. Overall administrative reductions from reform of all Foreign and Commonwealth departmental public bodies are estimated to be £275,000 over the spending review period.

Diplomatic Service: British Nationals Abroad

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to improve consular services for UK citizens overseas.

Jeremy Browne: holding answer 16 March 2011
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) received over 1.9 million consular inquiries in 2009-10. We dealt with almost 20,000 serious consular assistance cases, including approximately 6,000 deaths and 6,000 detentions of British nationals. In addition, we respond to major crises; and issue replacement travel documents to British nationals whose passport is lost, stolen or otherwise unavailable and they need to travel urgently.
	We continually review our consular services to ensure that they are the best we can provide: focused on providing assistance to the most vulnerable as efficiently as possible and building working relationships with partners where they are able to provide services that the FCO cannot.
	On 16 December 2010,  Official Report, column 121WS, I announced that the Government would restore Exceptional Assistance Measures for all British nationals affected by a terrorist attack overseas, regardless of whether or not they have travel insurance.
	We have enhanced our support to British nationals involved in international parental child abduction to bring UK court orders to the attention of local authorities and to lobby to lift travel restrictions where there is an imminent risk of harm to the child.
	Since 1 November 2010 we have been working with Victim Support National Homicide Service to provide support to bereaved people living in England and Wales following a murder or manslaughter overseas. We are currently working on further enhancements to the support we can provide to victims of murder and manslaughter overseas, as I informed members during a Westminster Hall debate on 3 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 285-92WH. We will announce any significant changes to the House, and incorporate them into our publication 'Support for British nationals abroad: A Guide'.
	In respect of crisis responses, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs announced on 23 February 2011 that he would establish a review, directly reporting to Ministers, into the FCO's arrangements for the evacuation of British nationals in a crisis.

Egypt: Politics and Government

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of political movements in Egypt; what recent discussions he has had with the Government of  (a) Israel,  (b) Jordan and  (c) Egypt on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: In the past there has not been the political space in Egypt for a strong democratic opposition to be able to develop. We believe that it is important that the political reform process in Egypt includes representatives from every part of society. Before parliamentary elections are held in Egypt, opposition groups will need time to coalesce and form their respective platforms.
	During my visit to Egypt from 9 to 11 March, I met the Prime Minister and other members of the Government, and encouraged them to work out a public timetable for elections to allow for the development of effective political parties. A key first step to this action will be a new law on political parties. We understand that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will issue such a law shortly after the referendum on constitutional reforms. We will continue to urge the Egyptian Government to engage in meaningful dialogue with opposition and activist groups to build trust with them so as to enable the aspirations of the people to be realised.
	The Prime Minister last spoke to King Abdullah of Jordan on 17 March, when they discussed various regional events. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Defence met with Defence Minister Barak when he visited London on 17 March 2011 and discussed a number of regional issues, including Egypt. Egypt has played an important role in the middle east peace process and its peace agreement with Israel is vital to regional stability.

Former Ministers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines his Department has put in place in respect of the provision of briefings to former Ministers.

Alistair Burt: Briefing is provided in accordance with the guidance set out in Volume 2 of the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Iran: Politics and Government

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of reports of pro-democracy protests in Iran; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the government of Israel,  (b) the Arab League,  (c) his EU counterparts and  (d) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: In the past month, the Iranian authorities have done everything they can to try to suppress the first series of protests to take place in Iran since December 2009. They have beaten protesters and arrested hundreds-while claiming to support freedom elsewhere in the Middle East. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I have issued statements about this outrageous hypocrisy and made clear our concern about the suppression of these legitimate protests. While we have not discussed these protests with the Government of Israel, the Arab League or the UN Secretary-General, we have had discussions with EU partners and the G8.

Iran: Terrorism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on Iranian involvement with Islamist militants; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the government of Israel,  (b) the Palestinian Authority,  (c) the government of Egypt,  (d) the government of Jordan,  (e) his EU counterparts,  (f) the Arab League and  (g) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We continue to monitor closely Iranian support to Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian rejectionist groups and Iraqi militia groups. We are gravely concerned by the latest evidence that Iran continues to supply the Taliban with weaponry.
	We have consistently stressed the negative impact this behaviour has on stability in the region. We regularly discuss this issue with a range of international partners.

Iraq: Iran

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Iraqi army to allow  (a) stationery,  (b) beds and  (c) other items into Camp Ashraf since December 2010.

Alistair Burt: The Iraqi Government have confirmed to our embassy officials that food, water and medical supplies are allowed to enter Camp Ashraf. However, we are aware of reports from camp residents that some items have not been permitted in the camp.
	Our embassy in Baghdad will continue to urge the Iraqi Government to ensure that the residents of Camp Ashraf are treated in accordance with international humanitarian standards, and will raise concerns where appropriate.

Israel: Foreign Relations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to strengthen links with Israel; what steps he plans to take on this matter in the next six months; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: Israel is an important strategic partner for the UK. We have regular dialogue at both ministerial and official level on a wide range of issues, including the situation in the region, the middle east peace process and our ongoing cooperation on Iran.
	I visited Israel and the Occupied Territories in January 2011 and met Foreign Minister Lieberman. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also visited in November 2011. Defence Secretary Barak met with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Defence, when he visited London on 17 March 2011.
	We are confirming dates for the forthcoming UK-Israel Strategic dialogue which is an opportunity for high level discussions on a wide range of foreign policy issues.

Ivory Coast: Armed Conflict

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the role of the United Nations in protecting civilians in Côte d'Ivoire.

Henry Bellingham: The violence that has led to the deaths of civilians in Cote d'Ivoire is unacceptable and I urge all sides to exercise restraint. The Government are in regular contact with the UN and international partners about the ongoing crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, including on the protection of civilians. The UN must be allowed to fulfil its mandate to investigate human rights abuses without hindrance. Through our diplomatic representation in Abidjan, we are in regular contact with UN Special Representative Choi, while our missions at the UN in New York and Geneva are working closely with UN colleagues there to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis. We support the proposal by the UN Commission on Human Rights to send a Commission of Inquiry to Cote d'Ivoire to investigate violence and abuses committed since the elections in November 2010. We are also in contact with President Ouattara and his Ministers and will continue to urge them to ensure forces loyal to them refrain from violence.

Japan: Tsunami

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department was contacted by International Rescue Corps about the provision of support in Japan following the recent tsunami.

William Hague: The International Rescue Corps (IRC) first directly contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) after their arrival at Tokyo Haneda airport on 15 March when they approached British embassy representatives there. The IRC had previously been in contact with the Department for International Development, who had informed the FCO of IRC's intention to provide assistance.
	On the evening of 15 March 2011, the IRC told our embassy in Tokyo that it needed a letter of support for an expressway pass. The embassy faxed this letter, as a note verbale, to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at approximately 07:00 on 16 March 2011, and followed up with phone calls to the Ministry.

Japan: Tsunami

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which British aid organisations he has  (a) granted and  (b) refused permission to work in Japan since the tsunami.

William Hague: None. It is not for me to grant or refuse permission for British aid organisations to work in Japan. The Japanese Government rightly takes all decisions on the large number of offers of assistance that it has received.

Japan: Tsunami

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions International Rescue Corps has been approved by his Department to work in disaster areas.

William Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not the lead Department in this area of work. Since 2008, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), co-operating with the Department for International Development, has invited non-governmental organisations to become part of the UK international search and rescue group, members of which can be invited to participate in missions when required.

Lebanon: Capital Punishment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1041W on Lebanon: capital punishment, what information he has received on the fate of each individual sentenced to death for Israeli related spying activities; if he will make representations to the Government of Lebanon on each individual; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: I understand that the seven Lebanese citizens sentenced to death on charges of spying for the Government of Israel are likely to have been held by the Ministry of Defence prior to appearing before a military court. Following sentencing, prisoners are usually transferred to the civilian Roumieh prison. The Lebanese have not carried out a death sentence since 2004.
	Our ambassador in Beirut has raised the issue of Lebanon's continued use of the death penalty on a number of occasions, including with the Minister of Justice, Chief of Justice and Head of the Lebanese Bar Association.

Lebanon: Politics and Government

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Lebanon; what recent discussions he has had with the government of Israel on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Najib Mikati was asked by President Sleiman to form the next Government following the withdrawal of the opposition from the Government National of Unity on 12 January 2011. Discussions between Najib Mikati and senior Lebanese politicians are continuing.
	We want to see a Government formed in accordance with Lebanon's constitution, which commands the broadest possible support of the people of Lebanon and upholds its international obligations including the Special Tribunal and an end to impunity for assassinations. It is important that any new Government are committed to restraint and the principle of non-violence as well as a sovereign and independent future for Lebanon.
	We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on the situation in the region and they are aware of our views on Lebanon.

Libya: British Nationals Abroad

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals who indicated a willingness to leave Libya on flights chartered by his Department have not taken up places on such flights to date.

Alistair Burt: The Department evacuated all those who wanted to leave on Foreign and Commonwealth Office chartered flights between 23 and 28 February 2011. We are aware of around 220 British nationals remaining in Libya following the UK's evacuation. Of these, 100 have told us they wish to remain in Libya. Of the others, nearly 70 have told us that they may decide to leave at some point. We continue to work with those who have contacted us for help in order to identify options for them to leave Libya.

Libya: British Nationals Abroad

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2011,  Official Report, column 841W, on Libya: British nationals abroad, whether he plans to publish the report of the review of his Department's arrangements for leading the evacuation of British nationals in a crisis.

William Hague: holding answer 18 March 2011
	Yes.

Libya: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's position is on the desertion of Libyan air force personnel to other countries.

William Hague: The refusal by members of Gaddafi's own air force to commit human rights violations against the Libyan people on behalf of his regime is a further demonstration of the increasing pressure his regime is coming under, including from inside Libya. Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy to rule and must put an immediate stop to the use of armed force against civilians and hand over power without delay to a government that will recognise the aspirations of the Libyan people and be more representative and accountable.
	We continue to work closely with international partners to isolate the Gaddafi regime and to ensure that anyone responsible for abuses or contemplating further crimes knows that they will be held to account.

Libya: Politics and Government

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the civilian operation to evacuate UK nationals from Libya.

Alistair Burt: To date, the provisional total cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the civilian operation to evacuate UK nationals from Libya is around £1.8 million, but this figure will not be confirmed until all final invoices are received.

Lydia Hunt

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he is making with the Mexican authorities in the investigation into the abduction of Lydia Hunt.

Jeremy Browne: We are in regular contact with the Mexican authorities about this case. I have raised it with Mexican Ministers and the Mexican ambassador to the UK. Our ambassador to Mexico has also raised it at senior level. We cannot interfere in the Mexican investigation into Lydia Hunt's abduction, but hope for progress soon.

Meetings

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what briefings his Department has given to former Ministers in the last six months; which department conducted the briefings; and what the payband was of each official involved.

Alistair Burt: Briefing is provided in accordance with the guidance set out in Volume 2 of the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the state of the Middle East peace process; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the Government of Israel,  (b) the Government of Egypt,  (c) the Government of Jordan,  (d) his EU counterparts and  (e) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), gave to the hon. Member for Leeds West (Rachel Reeves) on 15 Mar 2011,  Official Report, column 148.
	UK Ministers and officials regularly discuss the middle east peace process with counterparts in Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the UN. We are in regular contact with our colleagues in the EU. There was EU unity in the UK, France, Germany, and Portugal's, vote in favour of the UN Security Council Resolution on settlements on 18 February 2011. The E3 has called for an urgent return to negotiations, to resolve all final status issues, based on clear parameters.
	The Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Defence met with Defence Minister Barak when he visited London on 17 March 2011 and discussed the peace process and developments across the middle east.
	The Prime Minister last spoke to King Abdullah of Jordan on 17 March 2011. They discussed a number of regional issues. I visited Egypt between 9-11 March 2011 and discussed the middle east peace process with Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi. Mr al-Arabi reiterated that Egypt would stand by its international commitments and we believe that this is a positive sign of Egypt's continued commitment to peace with Israel.

Morocco: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Morocco; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: There have been a number of small scale demonstrations in Morocco over recent weeks. We welcome the recent announcement by HM King Mohammed VI of planned constitutional reform and look forward to its implementation.

Muammar Gaddafi

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2011,  Official Report, column 1044W, on Muammar al-Gaddafi, whether he has received representations from the government of Venezuela on his comments that Colonel Gaddafi had travelled to that country.

William Hague: holding answer 18 March 2011
	Our embassy in Venezuela is in frequent contact with the Venezuelan Government on a range of issues.

Overtime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on overtime for staff working in the private office of the Secretary of State in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: In financial year 2009-10 staff in the Secretary of State's office claimed a total of £63,816 in overtime and travel time. Due to the way these payments are recorded it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the two amounts.
	Due to changes in the IT system in which this information is recorded, it is not possible to provide figures for the preceding years without incurring disproportionate cost.

Pakistan: Christianity

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan on the treatment of Christians in that country.

Alistair Burt: I raised religious freedoms, including the treatment of Christians in Pakistan, with Pakistan's former Minister for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti in January this year. My noble Friend Lady Warsi also raised these issues with the Speaker of the Pakistan Parliament on 17 January 2011. Following Mr Bhatti's murder, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to express his condolences to President Zardari. I made a statement condemning his killing, alongside my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend Lady Warsi. We will continue to engage with the authorities in Pakistan on this issue.

Palestinians: Economic Situation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the economic situation in the Palestinian Territories; what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the government of Israel,  (b) the Palestinian Authority,  (c) the government of Egypt,  (d) the government of Jordan,  (e) his EU counterparts and  (f) the United Nations Secretary General on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: According to International Monetary Fund figures, economic growth across the Palestinian Territories was 6.8% in 2009. The west bank's economy grew at 7.2% in 2009; however, much of this growth was derived from higher Government spending and international aid rather than from exports, which fell in that period. The west bank's economy continues to be constrained by a number of factors, including movement and access constraints on goods and people, and poor investment confidence.
	Gaza's economy grew at 5.4% in 2009 from a very low base after the damage incurred in Operation Cast Lead. We are concerned that Israeli access restrictions continue to stifle sustainable economic recovery in Gaza, and we look forward to the full implementation of Israel's commitments to allow Gazan exports to international markets, and to increase the flows of goods into the territory.
	UK Ministers and officials regularly discuss the economic situation in the Palestinian Territories with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, regional countries, UN agencies, other donor countries and organisations.

Somalia: Piracy

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the potential effects of Somali piracy on UK oil supplies.

Henry Bellingham: The UK imports small quantities of oil from the Persian Gulf, so physical supplies are not directly affected by the problem of piracy off the Somali coast. However, the phenomenon is a concern because the undisrupted supply of Gulf oil to global markets helps to ensure stable oil prices, including for UK consumers. The UK imports increasing volumes of liquefied natural gas from the Gulf, which uses the same maritime routes, and UK-flagged vessels and their crews are vulnerable to the threat of piracy.

Swaziland: Politics and Government

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the Commonwealth's role in the promotion of democratisation in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Henry Bellingham: The Government are concerned at the human rights and governance situation in Swaziland, including restrictions on political parties, trade union rights, freedom of association, independence of the judicial and penal systems, gender equality and, most recently, application of the Suppression of Terrorism Act and violence perpetrated by state actors, including harm wrought against those in detention. We discuss these issues, in robust terms, with the Government of Swaziland. Our non-resident high commissioner, with her EU colleagues, met with King Mswati III on 10 March 2011, during which human rights and governance issues were raised. We also work with a range of international partners to encourage the Government of Swaziland to address these concerns. In particular, we welcome the Commonwealth's engagement over the last few years, including its observation mission for the 2008 elections, and its current work to support the drafting of the enabling legislation for the new Human Rights Council.

Yemen: Politics and Government

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has  (a) made and  (b) received representations on reports of deportations of UK journalists from Yemen on 14 March 2011.

Alistair Burt: Our embassy in Sana'a was informed on 14 March 2011 that two British nationals, working as journalists, had been detained in Yemen. Our embassy in Sana'a maintained contact with them and pressed the Yemeni Government for consular access. These individuals along with nationals from another country were taken into custody and subsequently deported from Yemen having contravened the conditions of their visas. In a press release on 16 March 2011 the embassy of the Republic of Yemen in London announced that several journalists had been detained and deported for working as journalists whilst on student or tourist visas.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Public Bodies

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10WS, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of 16 public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility and  (b) the change in function of the Homes and Communities Agency.

Grant Shapps: On 16 March 2011 the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies' reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government is not absorbing any functions from the arm's length bodies being closed or reformed. Details of the estimated savings in the administrative budgets of individual Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) arm's length bodies were published on the DCLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/1865652
	Although technically not an arm's length body, most of the functions of the Government Office Network have been discontinued: a limited number of functions have been transferred to Departments, including this Department.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of properties in the central London broad rental market area that will be charging rents equal to or less than the relevant maximum level of local housing allowance following introduction of the new limits on that allowance for houses with each number of bedrooms.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	Table 9 in our publication 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12':
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/impacts-of-hb-proposals.pdf
	sets out the proportion of private rented sector (PRS) accommodation by broad rental market area (BRMA) that is expected to fall under the new local housing allowance (LHA) limits. These limits are based on the 30th percentile rent of properties in the PRS, with absolute caps applied to control housing benefit expenditure.

Infrastructure: Planning

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to increase the efficiency of the planning process for large infrastructure projects.

Greg Clark: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement on 10 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 72-73WS.

Jephson Housing Association Group: Expenditure

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much money Jephson Housing Association Group has received from the public purse in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) each of the last three years.

Grant Shapps: The following table shows the total amount paid to Jephson Housing Association Group through the Homes and Communities Agency's National Affordable Housing Programme for each year from 2007-08. The figures for 2010-11 are up to the end of February.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2007-08 7.8 
			 2008-09 16.9 
			 2009-10 17.1 
			 2010-11(1) 10.6 
			 (1) Figures are to the end of February 2011.  Source: Homes and Communities Agency

Social Rented Housing: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new  (a) social rented and  (b) intermediate tenure properties have been completed in Peterborough constituency in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: Official statistics on the number of social rent, intermediate rent and low cost home ownership completions in each local authority in England are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousingsupply/
	These figures include new build completions and acquisitions to the affordable housing tenure.

TREASURY

Aggregates Levy

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue accrued from the aggregates levy in each of the last four financial years.

Justine Greening: Revenue accrued from the aggregates levy can be found on the UK Trade Information website at:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullaggr

Departmental Compensation

Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs has spent on payments to compensate members of the public for errors made in the processing of individual cases in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: It is not possible to distinguish payments made to individual customers from those made to businesses. However, total payments made under HMRC's ex-gratia financial redress policy for 2005-06; 2006-07; 2007-08; and 2008-09 are contained in the HMRC annual reports. For 2009-10 the payments made totalled £3.74 million, including a single, exceptional payment of £1.2 million.
	The information is available from the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm

Departmental Procurement

Dominic Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of the  (a) procurement and  (b) outsourcing function of (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) agency, (B) non-departmental public body and (C) non-ministerial Department for which he is responsible in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: The cost of the procurement and outsourcing functions (where there is a separate outsourcing function) for the financial year 2009-10 are:
	
		
			  Organisation  Type  Cost of procurement function in 2009-10  Cost of outsourcing function 
			 HM Treasury Group Government Department Group includes Debt Management Office, Asset Protection Agency and Office of Government Commerce £765,468 (1)- 
			 National Savings & Investment Executive agency £261,828 £935,072 
			 Royal Mint Advisory Committee NDPB No independent procurement function (1)- 
			 HMRC Non-ministerial Department £13,366,777 (1)- 
			 Valuation Office Agency Executive agency of HMRC £73,000 approximately (2010-11). Function did not exist in 2009-10. (1)- 
			 Government Actuaries Department Non-ministerial Department GAD does not have a designated procurement function. They have a small number of officers who are involved in various areas of purchasing at a total of £35,000 per annum. (1)- 
			 (1) No outsourcing function.

Excise Duties: Beer

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of recent trends in the level of beer duty on the consumption of beer  (a) in public houses and  (b) in general in the UK.

Justine Greening: HMRC has conducted some research into the impact of price changes on alcohol consumption. From changes in duty rates the effect on prices can be estimated and, from this, the change in consumption. HMRC estimate that a 1% increase in prices results in a 0.77% decrease in the consumption of beer in on-licensed premises such as public houses and restaurants.
	HMRC also estimates that a 1% increase in prices results in a 1.11% reduction in sales in the off-licensed trade.
	These results are published in the technical paper:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/alcohol-consumption-uk.pdf

Fuels: Prices

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend to liquid petroleum gas his proposal for a pilot discount on petrol and diesel in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles and the Isles of Scilly.

Justine Greening: Liquefied petroleum gas for road use is a fuel type with an existing UK-wide duty discount. The Government intend to submit a formal proposal to the European Commission for a pilot scheme that will deliver a maximum of 5p per litre duty discount on petrol and diesel in remote rural areas.

Fuels: Prices

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the downstream oil industry since January 2011 on proposals to introduce a fuel price stabiliser mechanism; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will assess for benchmarking purposes the effects of the introduction of the French fuel stabilising price mechanism introduced in 2000.

Justine Greening: The Government routinely discuss tax matters with industry stakeholders and assesses a range of factors. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review along Budget timelines.

Public Sector: Pay

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from what date the flat pay rise of £250 for public sector workers earning less than £21,000 per year  (a) was paid in 2010-11 and  (b) will be paid in 2011-12.

Danny Alexander: The June Budget announced a two-year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector workforces, except those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250.
	The month at which this takes effect will vary according to the existing pay arrangements in each workforce. The pay year currently begins in April for the armed forces, NHS, and Prison Service, and September 2011 for teachers.
	Civil service pay, below senior civil service, is delegated to Departments, and they will apply the policy according to their own pay year, which varies among Departments. Pay was frozen in 2010-11 for civil servants in Departments who had not yet agreed a legally binding pay deal, except for those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive at least £250 a year. Those civil servants will then exit the freeze ahead of other groups.

Rent a Room Scheme

Steve Brine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the merits of raising the tax-free gross income threshold for the Rent a Room scheme.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the Government's response to the consultation on investment in the private rented sector, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/investment_in_the_uk_ private_rented_sector_response_summary.pdf

Taxation: Compost

Steve Brine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a levy on retail peat-based composts.

Justine Greening: The Government recognise the environmental benefits of the use of peat-free composting material. We are therefore committed to achieving a full transition to sustainable alternatives to peat as soon as possible, and DEFRA are currently consulting on a range of proposals to achieve this goal.

VAT: Construction

Louise Ellman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the application of value added tax to works connected with the retrofitting of derelict domestic properties.

David Gauke: The renovation and alteration of derelict domestic properties is liable to VAT at 5%, so long as the buildings have not been lived in during the two years immediately preceding commencement of the works.

DEFENCE

Air Force: Military Bases

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying days were lost as a result of  (a) adverse weather conditions and  (b) other factors at each RAF station in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: The information requested is not held centrally, nor is it held uniformly by all RAF stations. A comprehensive answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Available information for entire days of flying lost in the last three years is included in the following table:
	
		
			  Flying days lost by each RAF station 
			   2008  2009  2010  2011( 1) 
			   Weather  Other  Weather  Other  Weather  Other  Weather  Other 
			 RAF Benson (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 3 0 0 0 
			 RAF Brize Norton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 RAF Cranwell (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 10 3 0 0 
			 RAF Leeming 2 0 1 0 33 12 1 0 
			 RAF Leuchars 0 0 1 0 6 0 0 0 
			 RAF Linton-on-Ouse 7 0 5 0 17 9 0 0 
			 RAF Lossiemouth 8 0 0 0 13 7 0 0 
			 RAF Lyneham (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 1 0 0 0 
			 RAF Marham 4 1 10 1 15 3 1 0 
			 RAF Northolt 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 
			 RAF Odiham (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 0 0 0 0 
			 RAF Shawbury (2)- (2)- (2)- (2)- 0 13 0 0 
			 RAF Valley 13 0 15 0 19 11 4 0 
			 RAF Waddington 1 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 
			 (1) To 28 February. (2) Not available. 
		
	
	The figure for RAF Lyneham relates to flying days lost as a result of snow only.
	Weather-related reasons which can preclude non-operational flying, include low cloud base and high wind, snow and ice. Certain stations with a key operational role have an enhanced level of snow and ice clearing equipment enabling them to return to flying operations more quickly. Other reasons for lost flying days can include spilt fuel or debris on runways, bird activity, designated flight safety days, air traffic control maintenance and, last year, volcanic activity in Iceland.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) reason for and  (b) scope is of his Department's collaboration in studies for the development of the US Administration's W88 nuclear warhead.

Peter Luff: Co-operation on a broad range of nuclear issues of mutual interest to the United Kingdom and the United States take place routinely under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement. This includes collaboration with the US on its plans for the refurbishment or replacement of non-nuclear components within their W88 nuclear warhead which could have implications for the UK's consideration of its future warhead options.
	As confirmed in the recent Trident Value for Money review, surveys have shown that our current warheads can be supported until the late 2030s and no decision will be required on its potential replacement until the next Parliament.

Somalia: Piracy

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the average number of Royal Navy ships transiting the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian sea and the Somali Basin in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average number of UK nationals on Royal Navy ships transiting the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian sea and the Somali Basin in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: Between March 2010 and February 2011 there were 11 Royal Navy (RN) (including Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA)) ships that transited the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian sea and the Somali Basin.
	Between March 2010 and February 2011 there were approximately 2,000 UK nationals, based on the seagoing complement, on RN ships (including RFA) that transited the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian sea and the Somali Basin.

CABINET OFFICE

Census

Tessa Munt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the UK Census held in  (a) 1981,  (b) 1991 and  (c) 2001 at 2011 prices;
	(2)  for what reasons other than population growth there has been an increase in the cost to the public purse of administration of the UK Census.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking: (i) for an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the UK Census held in (a) 1981, (b) 1991 and (c) at 2011-adjusted prices (46825); and (ii) for what reasons other than population growth there has been an increase in the cost to the public purse of administration of the UK Census. (47078)
	(i) With respect to the censuses in England and Wales the most recent estimate of costs are:
	
		
			  Census  Cost (£ million)  Cost at 2011 prices  (£ million)  Population (million)  Cost per person  per year  at  2011 prices (£) 
			 1981 . 45 185 48.5 0.38 
			 1991 117 219 49;9 0.44 
			 2001 214 308 52.0 0.59 
		
	
	(ii) With respect to the 2011 Census in England and Wales, the cost increase compared with 2001 is predominantly due to: the need for developing, evaluating and operating an address register, a questionnaire tracking system, and a secure online questionnaire completion system; the development, testing and processing of a fourth page of questions per person; the additional resources to conduct the follow-up operation in the areas which are hardest to enumerate; and increased contact centre capacity and improved communications. These developments followed the several recommendations of the Treasury Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and other bodies following the 2001 Census,
	The cost of the census in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, and is a matter that is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

Census

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people  (a) in England and Wales and  (b) in Brighton and Hove gave their religion as Jedi in their response to the 2001 Census.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people (a) in England and Wales and (b) in Brighton and Hove gave their religion as Jedi in their response to the 2001 Census (47259).
	The web link provided shows the information requested:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/rank/jedi.asp

Departmental Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than  (a) £10 million,  (b) £50 million and  (c) £100 million (i) his Department and (ii) each non-departmental public body and agency for which he is responsible was engaged upon in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  which procurement projects engaged upon by  (a) his Department and  (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which he is responsible had a designated senior responsible owner in the latest period for which figures are available; and on what date each such officer was appointed in each such case.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office and its non-departmental public bodies are not engaged upon any current procurement projects above the value of £10 million.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish the memorandum of understanding between his Department and  (a) Serco and  (b) Capita.

Francis Maude: The requested MOUs contain information which is currently commercially sensitive for both Government and the suppliers in question, and I therefore will not publish them at this time.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what regulations his Department introduced between 9 February 2011 and 28 February 2011.

Francis Maude: No regulations have been introduced by my Department between 9 February 2011 and 28 February 2011.

East Grinstead

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will bring forward proposals to relocate  (a) staff and  (b) offices of Government Departments to East Grinstead; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: holding answer 14 March 2011
	The relocation of Government staff outside of London continues to be considered among other options to deliver the savings set out at the spending review and increase the efficiency of the Government's estate.
	It is the Government's property strategy to implement and manage a system of national property controls across the central civil and operational estate as well as setting up property vehicles (PVs) that will make savings through a more co-ordinated approach to property asset management of the central civil office estate. As a first step, the Government Property Unit will set up pilot PVs for the central London and Bristol office estate from 2011-12.
	The current spending controls on Government property will result in a reduction in both the cost and size of the estate. To date, the national property controls have produced estate cost reductions of around £50 million. As the estate reduces in size, retained buildings will be utilised more intensively wherever possible. This reduction of property in London and elsewhere could see posts being relocated to areas close to London, and where there is a strong business case, to other parts of the country.

Government Departments: Manpower

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff are employed on two year fixed-term contracts in  (a) his Department and  (b) the Civil Service.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office uses fixed-term appointments in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Principles as part of its resourcing model to fill posts expected to last for a specified period of time. The length of the fixed-term appointment varies depending on the expected length of the role being filled.
	The number of staff employed on fixed-term contracts at 28 February 2011 (the latest date available) was 47.
	The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the number of staff employed on fixed-term contracts in the civil service and this could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: Personnel

Graham Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the merits of sharing human resources personnel between departments for the purpose of making savings to the public purse.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 October 2010,  Official Report, column 327W.

Government Departments: Procurement

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has set any targets for the  (a) number and  (b) monetary value of Crown contracts as a proportion of Government contracts.

Francis Maude: holding answer 14 March 2011
	The Efficiency and Reform Group began a programme of renegotiation with Government's top suppliers in July last year.
	The aim of this process was to agree Memoranda of Understanding between the Crown and each supplier, setting out ways in which Departments could realise a range of savings opportunities.
	Crown contracts have not been agreed as part of this process.

Government Departments: Procurement

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to ensure that all Government departments at all levels benefit from the use of Crown contracts.

Francis Maude: holding answer 14 March 2011
	The Cabinet Office is overseeing the implementation of the Memoranda of Understanding agreed between the Crown and Government's top suppliers as part of its centrally-led programme of renegotiation.
	Officials have been working closely with central Government Departments to ensure they are able to benefit from the savings opportunities contained within the MoUs.

Obesity and Anorexia: Death

David Amess: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths  (a) in Southend,  (b) in Essex and  (c) nationally were attributed to an individual being (i) overweight and (ii) underweight in each year since 2009.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2001:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths (a) in Southend, (b) in Essex and (c) nationally were attributed to an individual being (i) overweight and (ii) underweight in each year since 2009. (45595)
	The terms 'overweight' and 'underweight' are not normally used in the registration of deaths. Consequently, figures can only be provided for deaths recorded using the medically recognised terms 'obesity' and 'malnutrition' or 'effects of hunger'. The number of deaths so recorded is unlikely to be a complete or accurate reflection of the actual numbers of deaths which result, directly or indirectly, from being overweight or underweight.
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where (i) obesity was the underlying cause of death (Table 1) or was mentioned on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor (Table 2), and where (ii) malnutrition was the underlying cause of death (Table 1) or malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor (Table 2), for (a) Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, (b) Essex county and (c) England and Wales, for 2009 (the latest year available). Data for deaths registered in 2010 will be available in July 2011.
	Malnutrition is rarely the underlying cause of death, as people with malnutrition or effects of hunger mentioned on their death certificate often have another serious illness, and it is this illness that is the underlying cause of death. For example they may have cancer of the digestive tract, which means they can't eat properly or can't absorb nutrients; they may have suffered from a stroke or have advanced dementia which can cause difficulties chewing and swallowing; or they may abuse alcohol and so not eat properly.
	The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and cause are published annually on the National Statistics website at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15096
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of deaths where obesity or malnutrition was the underlying cause of death, Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, Essex county, and England and Wales, 2009( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Cause  Southend-on-Sea  Essex  England and Wales 
			 Obesity 0 10 324 
			 Malnutrition 0 1 82 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E66 (obesity) and E40-E46 (malnutrition). (2 )Based on boundaries as of 2010. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered 2009. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. Number of deaths where obesity, malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, Essex county, and England and Wales, 2009( 1, 2, 3, 4) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Cause  Southend-on-Sea  Essex  England and Wales 
			 Obesity 2 38 1,672 
			 Malnutrition or effects of hunger 2 6 375 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E66 (obesity), E40-E46 (malnutrition) and T73.0 (effects of hunger). Deaths were included where these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor. Effects of hunger can only ever be recorded as a contributory factor. Figures in Table 1 are therefore included in the figures in Table 2. (2 )Based on boundaries as of 2010. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in 2009.

Public Bodies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the potential savings to accrue from abolition of the public bodies scheduled for abolition in the Public Bodies Bill; and what method he has used to make this estimate.

Francis Maude: Departments are anticipating that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	When reductions in programme and capital spend are taken into account, we estimate that total spending through public bodies will be reduced by at least £11 billion per year by 2014-15. If the savings for each year of the spending review are taken into account then a cumulative amount of £30 billion will no longer be spent through public bodies.
	These figures are for all public bodies covered in the updated list of reforms published on 16 March 2011, including those in the Public Bodies Bill.
	The methodology used was to compare projected spending in 2014-15 against a baseline of 2010-11 spend rolled forward with inflation based on the GDP deflators provided in the Office for Budget Responsibilities' autumn forecast. The methodology is consistent with the spending review.
	These figures are a collation of departmental estimates.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Alcoholic Drinks

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on the contents of ministerial drinks cabinets since 12 May 2010.

Gregory Barker: Nothing.

Carbon Emissions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to respond to the recommendations of the report by the Committee on Climate Change on the fourth carbon budget.

Gregory Barker: The Climate Change Act 2008 requires Government to set the level of the fourth carbon budget in law not later than 30 June 2011. It also requires Government to lay before Parliament a report setting out proposals and policies for meeting the carbon budget as soon as is reasonably practicable after setting it in law. DECC's Business Plan stipulates this will be in October 2011.

Cold Weather Payments: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people in the weather station area covering the London borough of Bexley received a cold weather payment in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply.
	The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Estimated number of benefit units that received at least one cold weather payment for weather stations linked to postcode districts in the London borough of Bexley 
			  Weather station  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Gravesend 118,700 119,400 
			 Heathrow 548,600 534,500 
			  Notes: 1. The information provided is management information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case, we only have management information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, figures given are estimates. Actuals are not available. Estimates for 2010-11 may be revised after the end of the cold weather payment season, but will still be estimates not actuals. 2. A cold weather payment is made to an eligible customer when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0° C or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to the customer's postcode. (When the temperature criterion is met, the weather station is said to trigger.) 3. Each of Gravesend and Heathrow weather stations is linked both to an area within the London borough of Bexley and also to an area outside the London borough of Bexley. Estimated numbers given are for the weather station as a whole, not for the part of the London borough of Bexley linked to the weather station. 4. Estimates of potential qualifiers for each weather station for 2010-11 were made at the beginning of the winter. Both Gravesend and Heathrow weather stations have already triggered this winter, so the estimated number of benefit units that received at least one cold weather payment in 2010-11 will not change during the rest of the winter. The estimates for 2010-11 may be revised once the national out-turn for the winter is known. 5. Cold weather payments are made to benefit units. A benefit unit can be a single person or a couple and can include children. 6. Some benefit units received more than one payment in a year. 7. Estimated numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.  Sources: Postcode districts in the London borough of Bexley: analysis of National Statistics Postcode Directory. Postcode district to weather station links: Department for Work and Pensions records. Records of triggers and estimates of potential qualifiers by weather station: Department for Work and Pensions records.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011.

Gregory Barker: No statutory instruments made by the Department came into force between 9 and 28 February 2011.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what regulations his Department revoked between 9 to 28 February 2011.

Gregory Barker: From 9 to 28 February 2011, the Department has not revoked any statutory instruments in full.
	However, the Energy Bill, introduced into the House of Lords on 8 December 2010, sets out proposals to repeal the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) in England, Scotland and Wales. This will reduce regulatory burdens, support the Government's localism agenda and remove redundant legislation from the statute book.
	DECC is committed to reducing the burden of regulation on UK business, and a series of internal and external exercises have been or are being conducted towards this aim. For example, in June 2010 my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, responsible for the Department's regulatory agenda, wrote to 250 of the Department's key stakeholders asking for their views on ways to reduce DECC's regulatory burden. The response letter from Lord Marland and a summary of responses to this exercise was published in November 2010 on the DECC internet site:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/better_reg/better_reg.aspx
	Following on from this exercise, DECC plans to repeal a number of statutory instruments as well as powers under primary legislation (in total, 28 repeals). The exact processes for making the repeals are still being explored (suitable vehicles for the repeals are being considered, and consultation with relevant parties such as the devolved Administrations needs to take place for certain policies).

Electricity: Meters

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with  (a) the European Commission and  (b) his EU counterparts on progress on the cost-benefit analysis on the implementation of smart metering.

Charles Hendry: The Department has published detailed impact assessments of smart metering, most recently in July 2010. These assessments are readily available to the European Commission and other member states, although I have not had discussions with the European Commission or my EU counterparts about them. The 3(rd) Package electricity and gas directives require member states to ensure the implementation of intelligent metering systems. This implementation may be subject to economic assessment, which, if undertaken, should take place by 3 September 2012.

Feed-in Tariffs

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will ensure that projects in receipt of funding or in development under the feed-in tariff are not subject to any changes in the level of support they receive arising from the outcome of the feed-in tariff review.

Gregory Barker: We have always said there is no intentions to act retrospectively. The proposed changes to the scheme recently announced in the consultation on the fast-track review of the FITs scheme, and any changes that arise from the comprehensive review will only apply to new entrants into the scheme.
	The consultation on the fast track review proposals seeks views on timing and implementation.

Fuel Oil: Prices

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  if he will bring forward proposals to regulate the price of heating oil  (a) for rural communities and  (b) in general;
	(2)  if he will consider the merits of introducing a domestic heating oil price stabiliser for rural communities.

Charles Hendry: The OFT has launched its market study into the off-grid energy market, particularly with regards to heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The study will cover both consumer and competition issues. It will look at the market's structure and the choice of suppliers, whether competition is working well for consumers, and contractual terms and fairness in supply agreements. The OFT expects to publish the study in October 2011; its findings and conclusions will help to determine whether any changes are needed to the off-grid energy market.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to assist with  (a) capacity-building,  (b) governance,  (c) civil society and  (d) conflict resolution in the Democratic Republic of Congo in advance of the parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for later in 2011.

Stephen O'Brien: Our support to the Democratic Republic of Congo elections is focused on the following areas: building the capacity of the new electoral commission; improving public understanding of the electoral process, particularly among women and first-time voters; helping the Congolese police to keep the peace before, during and after elections; promoting open debate in advance of elections through support for independent Congolese media; and funding Congolese civil society organisations working on elections-related issues through our civic education and civil society support programmes.

Departmental Drinks

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on the contents of Ministerial drinks cabinets since 12 May 2010.

Alan Duncan: None.

Departmental Plants

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on indoor and outdoor plants and trees since his appointment.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not purchased any indoor or outdoor plants or trees since May 2010. A contract for the maintenance of internal plants, at a cost of £586 per month, was terminated at the end of June 2010 and has not been replaced.

Developing Countries: Natural Disasters

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department takes to  (a) retain and  (b) disseminate more widely the information it holds on natural resources in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) sometimes gathers and retains information on natural resources as part of the design and support of programmes for management of natural resources in developing countries. Data on DFID programmes is placed on the DFID website.
	DFID supports developing countries to evaluate their own natural resources and make this information publicly available. For example in Sierra Leone DFID is supporting establishment of an independent National Minerals Agency. As part of the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan we help developing countries shed light on the problem of illegal logging and support them to publicly disclose information on related forest trade, policies and revenues. Last year we transferred to digital format the complete inventory of the Bangladesh Sunderban mangrove forest and disseminated this to a wide range of bodies in Bangladesh, including the Government. We also lodged copies of the information with selected UK universities.

Developing Countries: Remittances

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on  (a) the countries that are recipients of remittances from people in the UK,  (b) the monetary value of remittances from the UK to each country and  (c) the number of people who send remittances abroad;
	(2)  what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the (i) income levels of people who send remittances from the UK and (ii) proportion of individuals' incomes that comprise remittances.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) relies on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for data on UK transfers. The ONS does not publish separate estimates for remittances as they are not considered to be of sufficient quality. Instead, estimates for remittances are combined with estimates for net transfers from UK charities, defined in the UK Balance of Payments (the Pink Book) as 'other payments by households'. In 2009, 'other payments by households' totalled £5.3 billion, the majority of which were remittances.
	This figure covers all remittances sent from the UK and is not disaggregated by country. Transfer payments by individuals are also not recorded systematically. It is therefore not possible to identify each country that receives remittances from the UK; the value of remittances to individual countries; the number of people who send remittances abroad; or the value or their transfers or their income levels.
	DFID's 2006 Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Remittance Survey:
	www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/ukremittancessurvey.pdf
	polled 1,800 households, which had transferred money from the UK in the past 12 months. It found that the median monthly income of remitting households was £1,324. The average annual value of remittances per household was £874; equivalent to 5.5% of monthly income.

International Labour Organisation: Finance

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which International Labour Organisation projects on  (a) anti-trafficking,  (b) forced labour and  (c) child labour his Department funded in the last four years.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided a total of £17.05 million in un-earmarked funding to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over the past four years under a central partnership agreement. That agreement lapsed in March 2010 and has not been renewed. Based on ILO reporting, around £3.5 million of this funding was directed towards "building global alliances against forced labour and human trafficking". The central partnership agreement did not specifically target child labour issues.
	In addition, DFID has funded some ILO projects and programmes at a country level and will continue to do so while I am confident that they provide value for money and effective delivery. Complete financial information on these country level programmes cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

International Planned Parenthood Federation: Finance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments his Department plans to make to the International Planned Parenthood Federation for  (a) abortion,  (b) family planning and  (c) other reproductive health services in the next 12 months; what assessment he has made since June 2010 of the value for money of such expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department of International Development (DFID) will provide £8.6 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in 2011-12 through a Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA). DFID does not classify spending under the categories requested and this information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	It is a major priority for the UK Government to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to modern family planning methods and promoting choice for women in the developing world. The UK Government doesn't enter the ring on the rights and wrongs of abortion. But the fact is that nearly 70,000 women in the developing world die every year as a result of unsafe abortions-and millions more risk their lives. Giving women the power over whether and when they have children is one of my top priorities. The UK Government will not stand by and let women die needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth.
	On value for money, the Government take the view that investing in reproductive health is highly cost-effective and has far reaching returns for women and girls. A copy of IPPF's PPA Evaluation, 2008-10 will be placed in the Library of the House, of which Chapter 4 covers value for money.

Marie Stopes International: Finance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments his Department plans to make to Marie Stopes International for  (a) abortion,  (b) family planning and  (c) other reproductive health services in the next 12 months; what assessment he has made since June 2010 of the value for money of such expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department of International Development (DFID) will provide £79,296 to Marie Stopes International (MSI) in 2011-12. This is the last year of the five-year Civil Society Challenge Fund grant totalling £127,430.00 that MSI is receiving for a project to empower communities to protect and advance sexual and reproductive health for poor people in Ethiopia. In addition DFID is in discussion with MSI about a longer term partnership.
	DFID does not classify spending under the categories requested and this information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	It is a major priority for the UK Government to improve sexual and reproductive health rights, including access to modern family planning methods and promoting women's choice, in the developing world. The UK Government do not enter the ring on the rights and wrongs of abortion. But the fact is that nearly 70,000 women in the developing world die every year as a result of unsafe abortions-and millions more risk their lives. Giving women the power over whether and when they have children is one my top priorities. The UK Government will not stand by and let women die needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth.

Overseas Aid

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will publish the operational plans for each country receiving bilateral aid from his Department.

Andrew Mitchell: Yes.

World Bank: Energy

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he next plans to discuss the World Bank energy strategy review with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Andrew Mitchell: We received a copy of the World Bank's Energy Sector Strategy on 16 March. Department for International Development (DFID) officials will be consulting across Whitehall to formulate a UK Government response. I meet the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on a regular basis and both of us are in close touch with officials on the strategy. Should we need to meet specifically on the strategy we will do so prior to its discussion by the World Bank's Committee on Development and Effectiveness on 11 April.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

E-petitions

Richard Fuller: To ask the Leader of the House what progress has been made in the transfer of e-petitions to the Direct.gov portal.

George Young: The Government have announced their intention to transfer the online petition system to the Direct.gov portal by the summer. Officials within the Cabinet Office are working on an effective verification system to ensure that petitions become a useful and mature tool for engaging with politics.

EDUCATION

Baccalaureate

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that the Government's post-16 funding allocation allows secondary schools to teach the International Baccalaureate.

John Hayes: We want schools and colleges to have the freedom and flexibility to choose from the best qualifications, including those such as the International Baccalaureate which offers real breadth and rigour to support the development of rounded individuals. That is why our priority for 16-19 funding has been to protect the core education programmes that equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed and to progress into higher education and employment.

Sex Education

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that only age-appropriate sex education material is used in primary schools.

Nick Gibb: It is important that pupils are protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate to their age and religious and cultural background. That is why, when providing sex education, all schools must have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State and published in 2000.
	The guidance provides information about how schools can set in place arrangements to protect pupils from inappropriate teaching and materials.

Teach First

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to expand the Teach First scheme to Norfolk.

Nick Gibb: The recent Schools White Paper committed us to provide funding to more than double the size of the Teach First programme. Teach First is an independent charity and it decides, in consultation with the Department, where it can best deliver its mission of reducing educational disadvantage. Teach First is currently conducting a feasibility study for its expansion, including how it might expand from its current urban-based model, to one that could include dispersed rural schools.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for single assessments and education, health and care plans for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Sarah Teather: The special educational needs and disability Green Paper announced that by 2014 we will replace SEN assessments and statements with a single assessment process and Education, Health and Care Plans which will provide stronger support for children and families. We will be running pathfinders testing out the single assessment and plans from September and working with the voluntary and community sector and local authorities on this and tendering for the pathfinders in June.

Apprentices: Finance

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding he has allocated to young apprenticeships in each of the next four years.

Nick Gibb: The outcomes of Professor Alison Wolf's Review of Vocational Education, published on 3 March 2011, and the spending review settlement, will inform our decision about the future of the Young Apprenticeship programme and associated funding: an announcement will be made shortly.
	We have confirmed funding for existing young apprentices in the next two financial years of £15.3 million in 2011-12 and £4 million in 2012-13: this will ensure that pupils who started a Young Apprenticeship in 2009 and 2010 are able to complete the programme.

Departmental Procurement

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many procurement projects with a monetary value greater than  (a) £10 million,  (b) £50 million and  (c) £100 million (i) his Department and (ii) the non-departmental public body and executive agency for which he is responsible was engaged upon in the latest period for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: Based on information held centrally on procurement projects during the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 the Department was engaged on  (a) seven procurement projects with a monetary value greater than £10 million;  (b) five procurement projects with a monetary value greater than £50 million; and  (c) five procurement projects with a monetary value greater than £100 million. Non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies were involved with two procurement projects with a monetary value greater than £10 million.

Departmental Public Consultation

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many public consultations his Department and its predecessors have conducted in each of the last 10 years; for how long each consultation was open; how many responses were received to each consultation; and what the cost to the public purse of conducting each consultation was.

Tim Loughton: A copy of the document giving details of consultations conducted by the Department for Education and its predecessors in each of the past 10 years has been placed in the Libraries. A full summary of the cost for each consultation would be possible only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Regulation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions his Department has consulted representatives of small businesses on the effects of proposed new regulations since 6 May 2010.

Tim Loughton: Nearly all public consultations are put on the departmental website and anyone can respond to them. There have been 30 consultations on new regulations since 6 May 2010.
	The Department does not hold centrally aggregated records of responses to consultations. However, when the results of consultation are published, they generally contain a summary of organisational responders, except where they have requested to remain confidential.

Free School Meals: Education Maintenance Allowance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children receive  (a) free school meals and  (b) education maintenance allowance in each local authority ward in (i) Peterborough constituency and (ii) North West Cambridgeshire constituency.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 17 March 2011
	 Information on free school meal eligibility is shown in the tables.
	The answer includes full-time pupils aged 0 to 15 and part-time pupils aged five to 15 known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals.
	
		
			  Maintained nursery, maintained primary( 1) , state-funded secondary( 1, 2)  and special( 3 ) schools: school meal arrangements( 4, 5) . As at January 2010. Pupils attending schools located in each ward within Peterborough parliamentary constituency 
			   Maintained nursery and primary( 1)  State-funded secondary( 1, 2)  Special( 3) 
			   Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 Bretton North 1,082 312 28.8 n/a n/a n/a 114 49 43.0 
			 Central 921 167 18.1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Dogsthorpe 1,199 304 25.4 n/a n/a n/a 119 47 39.5 
			 East 1,041 265 25.5 637 233 36.6 35 18 51.4 
			 Eye and Thorney 485 40 8.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newborough 189 8 4.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North 624 122 19.6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Park 452 59 13.1 2,348 379 16.1 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Paston 641 212 33.1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ravensthorpe 459 151 32.9 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Walton 398 78 19.6 1,329 305 22.9 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Werrington North 701 76 10.8 859 106 12.3 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Werrington South 616 43 7.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 West 1,121 145 12.9 1,378 231 16.8 n/a n/a n/a 
			   
			 Peterborough (all wards) 9,929 1,982 20.0 6,551 1,254 19.1 268 114 42.5 
			 n/a = Not applicable. No schools of this type. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. (4) Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. (5) Pupils who have full time attendance and are aged 0 to 15, or pupils who have part time attendance and are aged 5 to 15. Age as at 31 August 2009  Source: School Census 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained nursery( 1) , maintained primary( 2) , state-funded secondary( 2, 3)  and special( 4)  schools: school meal arrangements( 5, 6) . As at January 2010. Pupils attending schools located in each ward within North West Cambridgeshire constituency 
			   Maintained nursery( 1)  and primary( 2)  State-funded secondary( 2, 3)  Special( 4) 
			   Number on roll( 5, 6)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 5, 6)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 5, 6)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 5, 6)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 5, 6)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 5, 6)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 Barnack 207 11 5.3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Earlth 568 23 4.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ellington 263 8 3.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Elton and Folksworth 200 13 6.5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Fletton 948 172 18.1 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Glinton and Wittering 626 25 4.0 1,219 40 3.3 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northborough 190 9 4.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Orton Longueville 1,079 300 27.8 812 108 13.3 72 23 31.9 
			 Orton Watervllle 795 203 25.5 627 164 26.2 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Orton with Hampton 907 116 12.8 618 64 10.4 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ramsey 540 72 13.3 1,232 109 8.8 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sawtry 491 38 7.7 1,177 104 8.8 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Somersham 326 15 4.6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Stanground Central 712 143 20.1 1,246 177 14.2 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Stanground East 196 15 7.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Stilton 265 23 8.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Upwood and The Raveleys 427 52 12.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Warboys and Bury 505 33 6.5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Yaxley and Farcet 914 106 11.6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			   
			 North West Cambridgeshire (all wards) 10,159 1,377 13.6 6,931 766 11.1 72 23 31.9 
			 n/a = Not applicable. No schools of this type. 1. There are no maintained nursery schools in North West Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency. 2. Includes middle schools as deemed. 3. Includes city technology colleges and academies. 4. Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. 5. Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. 6. Pupils who have full lime attendance and are aged 0 to 15, or pupils who have part time attendance and are aged 5 to 15. Age as at 31 August 2009.  Source: School Census 
		
	
	The question of how many young people in Peterborough constituency and North West Cambridgeshire constituency received EMA is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 16 March 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ46957.
	The Department of Education has responded to you regarding the first part of your question. I have been asked to provide a reply to the latter part of your question regarding how many children in each local authority ward in Peterborough and North West Cambridgeshire constituency have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
	Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available for upper tier local authorities but not by constituency or by local authority ward.
	EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year. As at 28/02/2011 EMA take-up for the 2010/2011 academic year for the City of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire local authority was 2,719 and 4,917 respectively.
	EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
	http://ema.ypla.gov.uk/resources/research/takeup/

Members: Correspondence

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe of 9 February 2011 on the pupil premium.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 15 March 2011
	My noble Friend Lord Hill of Oareford replied to my hon. Friend on 16 March 2011.

Members: Correspondence

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  on what date  (a) officials in his Department first identified and  (b) he was first made aware of the difficulties in the operation of the IT system for monitoring and answering parliamentary questions and letters from hon. Members;
	(2)  what consideration his Department gave to informing  (a) Mr Speaker's office,  (b) the Leader of the House's office,  (c) the Table Office and  (d) hon. Members of the effects on the time taken to respond to questions and letters from hon. Members of the difficulties his Department has encountered in the operation of the IT system for monitoring and answering such material.

Nick Gibb: On 4 February a technical failure occurred within the Department's IT system that supports the processing of parliamentary questions. This system does not monitor letters from hon. Members. We were advised following initial investigations that the problem would be rectified within a few days and given this initial advice we did not inform Parliament. On further investigation the scale of the problem was far greater than originally anticipated, taking three weeks to be resolved. The Department did not intend to mislead Parliament, however given the eventual scale of the issue we accept that we should have informed Parliament of this situation. Since the House returned on 28 February the Department has answered over 600 questions.

Runaway Children

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made on the implementation of the Young Runaways Action Plan.

Tim Loughton: The Young Runaways Action Plan, published in June 2008, was produced by the previous Government. It subsequently published 'statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care'. in July 2009. Under the previous system of Public Service Agreements and National Indicators, NI 71 recorded self-evaluation scores by local authorities on measures to monitor and respond to cases of children missing from home or care. The most recent data published for NI 71 was in September 2010 and can be found on the Department for Education website here:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000958/index.shtml

Schools: Administration

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to reduce the administrative burden upon school staff.

Nick Gibb: The Government are committed to reducing the administrative burden on school staff. We have already announced that: the time consuming self-evaluation form will be removed; the inspection framework will be streamlined; all data collections from schools are being reviewed; and have included measures in the Education Bill to remove unnecessary regulations. In addition, we are taking action to significantly reduce the volume of guidance and advice issued to schools and have adopted a new approach to ensure guidance is clear and concise. These changes are just the start of an ongoing programme of work and our intention is to work with local authorities and other Government Departments to reduce the administrative burden further.

Schools: Governing Bodies

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on measures to increase the number of people applying to become governors of schools in disadvantaged areas.

Nick Gibb: The School Governors' One Stop Shop (SGOSS) is a private company with charitable status which is funded by the Department to recruit and place governor volunteers from the business world in schools with vacancies. SGOSS works with local authorities and schools across England and, while it focuses on areas with high vacancy rates, any school or local authority can approach it for help to fill vacancies. Its services are free of charge to schools and local authorities.
	The Department is also working with the Education and Employment Taskforce to promote school governance as a volunteering opportunity to companies. Governor volunteers will bring with them a range of skills acquired in the workplace, which will be particularly helpful to governing bodies in all areas, including those which are disadvantaged.

Schools: Roads

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many primary schools did not have a road safety officer in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  at how many primary schools one or more access points from the street is not lit by public street lighting;
	(3)  how many primary schools in England are situated on roads where the speed limit is the national speed limit.

Nick Gibb: This information is not held centrally.

Schools: Sports

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much School Sports Partnership grant was allocated to Hastings and Rother in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010.

Tim Loughton: The information is set out in the table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   School sport partnership grant  Coaching  Swimming  FE sport co-ordinators  Total 
			 2007 255,292 17,500 - - 272,792 
			 2008 284,654 21,500 4,999 26,100 337,253 
			 2009 282,153 21,500 4,999 26,100 334,752 
			 2010(1) 290,710 21,500 4,999 26,100 343,309 
			 (1) Anticipated.

Squatting

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many buildings on his Department's estate were occupied by squatters in each year between 2006 and 2010; and on how many occasions his Department sought interim possession orders to remove squatters from such buildings in each of those years.

Tim Loughton: None of the Departments buildings were occupied by squatters during the year 2006 to 2010.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question 37084, tabled on 25 January 2011 for named day answer on 31 January 2011, on a free schools event.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 14 February 2011
	A response was issued to the hon. Member's question on 9 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 1117-118W.

Science: Females

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage girls to choose science, technology, engineering or mathematics at GCSE level.

Nick Gibb: The Government are funding a number of initiatives to encourage the greater participation of girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects) at GCSE, A Level and beyond. These include:
	Commissioning the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), and the National Strategies to look at ways to help widen participation in mathematics with a particular focus on engaging more girls (including reviewing the ways in which schools approach how mathematics is delivered);
	Identifying resources that will engage girls more in these subjects;
	Establishing the Stimulating Physics network to provide support at regional level to widen participation in A level physics; and
	The network of Science Learning Centres disseminating best practice from their Girls into Physics action research programme.
	In addition, the STEM Ambassadors programme arranges for over 20,000 individuals drawn from more than 1,500 employers to volunteer their time and expertise to help schools and colleges, acting as role models and enhancing and enriching their pupils' understanding of, and enthusiasm for, STEM subjects. Almost 50% of the current STEM Ambassadors are female.
	In 2010, more girls than boys were entered for GCSE Mathematics, and AS and A Level Biology.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Benefit

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether parents of children aged under 12 years who cease to be eligible for child benefit as a result of their partner being a higher rate income tax payer will be eligible for carers credit.

Steve Webb: The withdrawal of child benefit from families containing a higher rate taxpayer will not affect national insurance credits for state pension entitlement.

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Fees and Charges

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken into the potential effect on vulnerable groups of a charging regime for child support.

Maria Miller: The Government will develop detailed proposals in relation to charging criteria and these will be outlined in draft regulations later in the year. Impact assessments accompanying the draft regulations will set out the estimated effects on volumes and individuals who will be affected by the proposed new charges.

Children: Maintenance

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the introduction of private voluntary agreements to collect child maintenance payments on the number of resident parents using such agreements.

Maria Miller: Family-based arrangements are already possible and while some parents use them, research suggests around half of parents currently using the statutory child maintenance scheme would want to make family based arrangements if given support to do so. The coalition Government want to support more families to be able to collaborate and come to family-based arrangements which in general are better for children, as both parents continue to be actively involved in their children's lives.
	The recent Child Maintenance Green Paper "Strengthening Families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance" also recognises that some parents may need support in reaching these arrangements. The intention is to integrate the information and support available to separating and separated parents, with the aim of supporting more parents as they look to agree family-based arrangements.

Children: Maintenance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what charges will be levied under the planned charging regime for the future child support scheme against a  (a) parent with care and  (b) non-resident parent in receipt of jobseeker's allowance who has been unable to agree a voluntary family-based agreement.

Maria Miller: The Government want to encourage parents to take responsibility for their children's financial support after parental separation and to facilitate co-parenting and ongoing involvement of both parents in their children's lives. The majority of parents currently using the statutory service have indicated they would make a family-based arrangement if given support to do so.
	The Green Paper consultation document "Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance" recently published by the Government outlines proposals for the reform of the child maintenance system in more detail. Chapter two of the consultation document outlines the Government's proposals for charging. Financial decisions on this aspect of policy will be made once the consultation has concluded.
	The consultation closes on 7 April 2011 and can be viewed at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/strengthening-families.pdf

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions during their operation the number of social fund crisis loans available to an individual over a 12-month period has been capped.

Steve Webb: Social fund crisis loans for living expenses will be capped at the level of three within a 12-month rolling period from 4 April 2011.
	A pilot was conducted between 27 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 in South West region and 8 June 2009 and 31 March 2010 in the East Midlands where the number of social fund crisis loans for living expenses were capped at three within a rolling 12-month period.
	The Department collected management information on this pilot but it is not robust enough to be used as a response to a parliamentary question.

Crisis Loans

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effect of his decision on the  (a) level and  (b) availability of crisis fund loans on the number of loans taken out by people on low incomes from high-cost or illegal lenders.

Steve Webb: As outlined in my written ministerial statement of 3 March 2011, we have had to take urgent action to bring spending on crisis loans back under control and ensure we can continue to meet genuine need, including through budgeting loans.
	We have no information on which to make an assessment in respect of crisis loans. However, without corrective action the funding shortfall for crisis loans would have to be met from the budgeting loan scheme which evidence suggests is an important alternative to illegal lending for the poorest in society.

Crisis Loans: Barking and Dagenham

Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Jobcentre Plus Social Fund Budget areas covering the London borough of Barking and Dagenham have received  (a) crisis loans,  (b) community care grants,  (c) funeral payments,  (d) budgeting loans and  (e) maternity grants in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: We are unable to report on social fund awards at the London borough level however the London borough of Barking and Dagenham is part of the North and North East London Social Fund budget area level. Awards in this area are as follows:
	
		
			  Initial awards in London Social Fund Budget area March 2010 and 2011 
			   Number 
			 Budgeting Loan 34,720 
			 Community Care Grant 6190 
			 Crisis Loan 64,160 
			 Funeral Payment 760 
			 Sure Start Maternity Grant 10,510 
			  Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, they do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. These are initial awards and do not include awards made on review other than for Funeral Payments and Sure Start Maternity Grant which do include awards made on appeal. 3. Figures have been rounded.  Source: DWP Policy, Budget and Management Information System (PBMIS)

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which public bodies sponsored by his Department  (a) have been and  (b) are to be closed, merged or reorganised following his appointment; and how many (i) women and (ii) men who are public appointees at each body will no longer hold such an appointment in consequence.

Chris Grayling: The coalition Government are committed to increasing the accountability of public bodies, and this involves reducing their number and their cost to the taxpayer. The proposals for the majority of bodies across all Departments was announced and published on 14 October 2010. An updated list reflecting changes since October 2010 has been published on the Cabinet Office website this month.
	Summary information on public appointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office. This includes data on gender. Copies of the most recent report can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Departmental Public Bodies

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of three public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility,  (b) the merger of one such body and  (c) the change in function of two such bodies.  [Official Report, 26 April 2011, Vol. 527, c. 1-2MC.]

Chris Grayling: On 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10W , the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	I anticipate net overall administrative savings from structural reforms over the spending review period of £0.141 million. Overall administrative reductions from reform of all departmental public bodies are currently estimated to be £17.95 million over the spending review period.

Disability Living Allowance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  with reference to paragraph 6 of his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the savings to accrue from  (a) a facility to regularly review all awards and  (b) the establishment of rates of allowance based on (i) ability to carry out daily life activities and (ii) ability to get around in each year to 2015-16;
	(2)  with reference to paragraph 6 of his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the potential savings which will arise from a move away from automatic entitlement in each year to 2015-16;
	(3)  with reference to paragraph 6 of his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the potential savings to the public purse from  (a) the new assessment process and  (b) the deferred eligibility periods proposed by his Department in each year to 2015-16;
	(4)  with reference to paragraph 16 of his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the cash savings arising from the application of his policy to the persons in each  (a) care rate and  (b) mobility rate band in each year to 2014-15;
	(5)  with reference to his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the potential savings of implementation of the policy if present entitlement conditions continue for  (a) one year,  (b) 18 months,  (c) 24 months and  (d) 36 months;
	(6)  with reference to his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of disability living allowance in each income decile who will have their allowance reduced in each year to 2015-16;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the potential change in  (a) the average disability living allowance payment and  (b) the number of claimants of the allowance as a result of his proposed reforms in each year to 2014-15.

Maria Miller: Support in personal independence payment will be focused on those who face barriers to independent living. The assessment is being developed and at this stage, therefore, an assessment is not available of the impact changes could have on existing disability living allowance, or future recipients. We are working with disabled people and organisations who represent them on the detailed design and delivery of personal independence payment and the outcomes from this work will be reflected in updates to the impact assessment for this change. We have already announced that personal independence payment will be a non taxable, non means-tested benefit payable to people in and out of work.

Disability Living Allowance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on reform of disability living allowance, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the disability living allowance budget which was spent on claims which were fraudulent in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The estimated level of fraud in disability living allowance for the period October 2008 to September 2009 is 0.5% (£60 million). The estimate is based on a national benefit review of disability living allowance which was carried out in 2004-05.
	The latest estimates of fraud and error in the benefits system can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fem/fem_oct08_sep09.pdf

Disability Living Allowance

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means disability living allowance assessments will take into account the needs of patients with  (a) sickle cell disease,  (b) thalassaemia,  (c) multiple sclerosis,  (d) mental health conditions and  (e) other fluctuating conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The Government published the consultation document 'Disability Living Allowance Reform' on 6 December 2010, which was followed by the publication of the Welfare Reform Bill on 16 February 2011. Both outlined proposals to replace disability living allowance for working age claimants with a new benefit-personal independence payment.
	The assessment for personal independence payment is being developed in collaboration with an independent group of specialists in health, social care and disability, including disabled people. We are designing the assessment to target support on those disabled people who are most impacted by their health condition or impairment, regardless of the nature of that impairment. As such we intend it to take account of physical, sensory, mental, intellectual and cognitive impairments, including variable and fluctuating conditions.
	We are considering the most appropriate delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken. We will continue to work with disabled people and their organisations on the details of our reforms, including the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation, to ensure that we get them right.

Disability Living Allowance

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Totnes,  (b) the South West and  (c) England receive the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Disability living allowance recipients with higher rate mobility component in Totnes parliamentary constituency, the South West and England ,  August 2010 
			   Number 
			 Totnes 2,550 
			 South West 127,130 
			 England 1,432,020 
			  Notes:  1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest ten.  2. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes cases where the payment has been suspended.  3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament 2010.   Source:  Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS.

Disability Living Allowance

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the Social Security Advisory Committee's response to the consultation on his proposed changes to disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The consultation on DLA reform ran from 6 December 2010 to 18 February 2011. We received over 5,000 individual responses and 500 responses from organisations, including the response from the Social Security Advisory Committee.
	We are considering the responses at the moment and plan to publish the Government response shortly.

Disability Living Allowance: Autism

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that the proposed changes to disability living allowance do not have an adverse effect on claimants diagnosed with autism.

Maria Miller: The Government propose to replace disability living allowance with personal independence payment in 2013-14. We are still considering the most appropriate delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken, including how it will apply to existing DLA recipients. We know it is essential that the assessment accurately captures the needs of disabled people with autistic spectrum disorders and this is something that the development group is considering. For example, they believe that the new assessment should explicitly take account of the impact of a health condition or impairment, including autistic spectrum disorders, on an individual's ability to communicate. This would set it apart from the current DLA assessment. We also recognise the importance of providing adequate training and guidance for assessors and of ensuring that the assessment process is appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders.
	Both I and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society to discuss our reform proposals and to seek their views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. We agree with many of the points raised in the National Autistic Society's recent report on DLA reform, "Who benefits?", and we are looking closely at how these recommendations can be incorporated into its design. We are keen to continue to work with disabled people and their organisations as the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation is developed and tested.

Disability Living Allowance: Autism

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to exempt those diagnosed with autism from compulsory disability living allowance personal interviews.

Maria Miller: The Government propose to replace disability living allowance with personal independence payment in 2013-14. We are still considering the most appropriate delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken, including how it will apply to existing DLA recipients. However, we believe that advice from a suitably trained and approved individual, for example a healthcare professional, will be an important part of ensuring that the assessment is more objective and consistent. In most cases, we expect this to involve a face-to-face consultation to enable an in-depth look at an individual's circumstances.
	We know it is essential that the assessment accurately captures the needs of disabled people with autistic spectrum disorders and this is something that the development group is considering. For example, they believe that the new assessment should explicitly take account of the impact of a health condition or impairment, including autistic spectrum disorders, on an individual's ability to communicate. This would set it apart from the current DLA assessment. We also recognise the importance of ensuring that the assessment process is appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. Both I and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society to discuss our reform proposals and to seek their views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. We will continue to work with disabled people and their organisations as the detail of the assessment criteria and its operation is developed and tested.

Disability Living Allowance: Expenditure

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the likely change in expenditure as a result of extending the qualifying period for disability living allowance from three months to six months.

Maria Miller: On 6 December we launched a consultation on the reform of disability living allowance with the key proposal of a new benefit, to be known as personal independence payment, which will be introduced from 2013. The consultation proposed that personal independence payment will have a six-month qualifying period and a six-month prospective test. The consultation closed on 18 February.
	Extending the qualifying period to six months will be implemented alongside the new assessment which is still being developed. Any change in expenditure will, therefore, be dependent on both these factors.

Disability Living Allowance: Fraud

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the level of fraudulent disability living allowance claims as a proportion of total claims in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The estimated level of fraud in disability living allowance for the period October 2008 to September 2009 is 0.5% (£60 million). The estimate is based on a National Benefit Review of Disability Living Allowance which was carried out in 2004-05.
	The latest estimates of fraud and error in the benefits system can be found at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fem/fem_oct08_sep09.pdf
	No estimates are available of payments made in error where eligibility has ceased.

Disability Living Allowance: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Coventry and  (b) the West Midlands receive the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Disability living allowance recipients with higher rate mobility component in Coventry local authority and West Midlands-August 2010 
			   Total 
			 Coventry 9,620 
			 West Midlands 169,890 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and excludes cases where the payment has been suspended. 3. These figures are published at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100% WPLS

Employment and Support Allowance: Barking and Dagenham

Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham have been in receipt of contributory-based employment and support allowance (work related activity group) for 12 months or longer.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of people in receipt of contributory-based Employment and Support Allowance (Work Related Activity Group) in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, August 2010 
			  Work Related Activity Group  All  Duration 12 months or more 
			 All 260 140 
			 Contributory element 100 50 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Benefit type: The type of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is defined as pay status at the caseload date-this may differ to the status at the start or end of the claim. 3. ESA replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 4. Phase/stage of ESA claim is only available from February 2010 onwards. The phase is derived from payment details held on the source system.  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Employment Schemes: Cancer

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what requirements he plans to put in place for people receiving  (a) oral chemotherapy and  (b) radiotherapy treatment for cancer to (i) undergo medical assessments and (ii) participate in work-related activities in order to receive benefits under the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: We are determined that the social security system should support people who are diagnosed with cancer in the most sensitive, fair and appropriate way. We have no interest in making it harder for those who cannot work to claim benefits.
	We have taken positive steps to improve the work capability assessment (WCA) so that it is fairer and more effective for individuals diagnosed with cancer. The current system allows individuals undergoing certain types of chemotherapy to have automatic entry to the support group. In June we announced changes, coming into force later this month, extending this entitlement to people awaiting or between courses of these types of chemotherapy.
	Meanwhile, Professor Malcolm Harrington, as part of his second independent review, has asked Macmillan Cancer Support to consider whether further improvements are needed, including whether people receiving oral chemotherapy should be placed directly into the support group. We look forward to receiving Macmillan's and Professor Harrington's recommendations for any further improvements.

Employment Schemes: Procurement

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures will be in place to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises that win Work Programme contracts are not put at a financial disadvantage as a result of the time taken for payments to be made under the payment-by-results scheme.

Chris Grayling: In order to drive the best value for money for the taxpayer we are using a Prime Provider model to deliver the Work Programme. The Prime Providers will be underpinned by smaller, specialist sub contractors to ensure the individual needs of all customers are met at a local level. It is at this sub contractor level where we would expect to see small and medium-sized enterprises.
	The provider payment model for the Work Programme has been extensively tested and assured to ensure that it is commercially and financially viable for potential suppliers. The payment model is largely outcome-based with a job outcome payment paid once the customer has been in employment for 13 or 26 weeks depending on customer group, and sustainment payments paid monthly thereafter for continued employment. During the first three years of the contracts the Department will also be paying an attachment fee to providers. The attachment fee is specifically designed to help providers with cash flow in the early years of the contracts, before being withdrawn as the programme matures and they start to receive greater remuneration from outcome-based payments.
	Within the standard terms and conditions of contract for the Work Programme, the Department has committed to pay all providers within 30 calendar days of notification. The Prime Contractor will be entitled to receive interest after 30 calendar days on any payment that is not made when properly due.
	In addition, the Department has sought to strengthen the hand of smaller organisations in their dealings with our Prime Providers, and I believe that the systems we are putting in place will mean a more level playing field. In particular our 'Merlin Standard' will ensure that smaller organisations are treated fairly in their dealings with primes and that supply chains remain robust and healthy.

EU Agenda for New Skills and Jobs

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the comprehensive review of health and safety legislation by 2014 proposed in the EU Agenda for new skills and jobs; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of conducting the review; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The European Commission has yet to announce the scope and nature of its proposed review of EU health and safety legislation. Consequently, it is not yet possible to provide a meaningful or accurate estimate of how much it would cost. The Government will work to ensure that any future proposals respect the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, and are accompanied by a full impact assessment. Provided these principles are respected, in principle, a review of EU legislation in this field could provide the opportunity and evidence for removing obsolete or inefficient laws. In particular it could be used to examine which EU health and safety rules for low risk businesses are overly prescriptive, which are disproportionate and which seek unnecessarily to eliminate risk instead of managing it. These aims would be consistent with the recommendations in "Common Sense, Common Safety", which the Government accepted in October 2010.

Families

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to reduce the incidence of family breakdown since his appointment.

Maria Miller: A Social Justice Cabinet Committee has been established chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which seeks to tackle the underlying factors that trap people at the bottom of the social ladder, one of these factors being family breakdown. I am also looking at international models to see if there is best practice in this area which could usefully be integrated into our proposals for Great Britain.
	Our programme for government made clear our commitment to supporting and strengthening families. Where relationship breakdown is unavoidable our approach is the same-we will support strong families including those that are separating or separated to work together to reach agreements that are in the best interests of their children. In the recently published Green Paper 'Strengthening families: promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance':
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/strengthening-families.pdf
	we outline our proposals for the reform of child maintenance. These include encouraging parents to work collaboratively to fulfil their responsibilities and, where child maintenance is involved, to make family-based child maintenance arrangements wherever possible as these will facilitate co-parenting and the ongoing involvement of both parents in children's lives.
	My Department is also working closely with the Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice with the aim of joining up support to separating and separated parents so they receive the help they need to work together and make post-separation arrangements that are in their children's best interests.

Free Movement of Labour

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to provide assistance to local authorities on the abolition of transitional arrangements for A8 workers; and whether his Department plans to provide guidance on this issue.

Chris Grayling: The Department operates a dedicated email enquiry point to provide assistance to local authorities on such matters.
	Detailed guidance on the benefit position of A8 nationals from 1 May 2011 will be made available to local authorities shortly. In addition, we have been working with Homeless Link who published guidance on A8 rough sleepers earlier this month.

Housing Benefit: Affordable Housing

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has commissioned on the availability of affordable homes in  (a) Bristol East constituency,  (b) Bristol,  (c) the South West and  (d) nationally following implementation of his proposed changes to local housing allowances.

Steve Webb: The Department is in the process of a procurement exercise with leading research organisations for the evaluation and monitoring of the impact of the housing benefit measures. The precise form of the evaluation will depend upon the outcome of negotiations with the successful contractor, but we anticipate that it will consider the availability of affordable homes and include fieldwork examining the effects on different types of households in a range of areas across Great Britain.

Housing Benefit: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have claimed housing benefit in (a) Reading West constituency,  (b) Reading and  (c) Berkshire in each of the last 10 years.

Steve Webb: The information requested for Reading West constituency is not available.
	A copy of the available information on HB recipients by local authority has been placed in the Library.

Means-tested Benefits: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in each electoral ward of the Peterborough city council area lived in households in receipt of means-tested benefits in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: There were 7,295 children aged 15 and under in Peterborough living in households where a parent or guardian is in receipt of income support, jobseeker's allowance or pension credit in May 2008.
	The following table shows the number of children aged 15 and under in each electoral ward of the Peterborough city council area living in households where a parent or guardian is in receipt of income support, jobseeker's allowance or pension credit in May 2008.
	
		
			  Ward name  Total children aged 15 and under 
			 Barnack 25 
			 Bretton North 595 
			 Bretton South 155 
			 Central 635 
			 Dogsthorpe 715 
			 East 655 
			 Eye and Thorney 115 
			 Fletton 285 
			 Glinton and Wittering 50 
			 Newborough 50 
			 North 370 
			 Northborough 10 
			 Orton Longueville 785 
			 Orton Waterville 260 
			 Orton with Hampton 280 
			 Park 240 
			 Paston 575 
			 Ravensthorpe 515 
			 Stanground Central 250 
			 Stanground East 140 
			 Walton 170 
			 Werrington North 190 
			 Werrington South 105 
			 West 125 
			  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study, HMRC Child Benefit administrative data.

New Deal Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons there was a reduction in the number of flexible new deal starts between May and November 2010.

Chris Grayling: The reduction in the number of flexible new deal starts between May and November 2010 reflects two factors:
	starts were due to reduce over this period as the stock of jobseeker's allowance customers who had to wait for FND to begin reduced;
	starts fell more due to a fall in the number of people who claimed jobseeker's allowance, and so in due course, the numbers who became eligible for the provision.

Personal Independence Payment: Autism

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that a person with autism who undergoes an assessment for the proposed personal independence payment will have the appropriate support to attend an assessment.

Maria Miller: We are considering the delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken. We recognise the importance of ensuring that the assessment process is appropriate to individual's circumstances, including individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. We are clear that if an individual is able to bring someone who knows them well with them to a face-to-face consultation, and wishes to do so, this will be welcomed. It will of course be essential to ensure that we get the processes right and we will be keen to work with disabled people and their organisations as we further develop these.

Post Office Card Account

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what date he expects a direct debit payment facility on the Post Office card account to have been enabled.

Steve Webb: The Government remain committed to giving Post Office card account holders the chance to benefit from direct debit discounts. However, this does not necessarily mean adding a direct debit facility to the Post Office card account itself.
	We are awaiting the outcome of new research, exploring the options for all consumers to have the opportunity to benefit from direct debit discounts.
	Officials from all interested Departments are working closely to steer the direction of the research. This will explore the possibilities for a commercially viable business model for a new account, which would be designed to meet the needs of low income consumers by supporting positive financial management, smoothing expenditure and enabling access to better value services and products.

Private Pensions

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people in the UK with private pensions which provide an income of between £17,500 and £30,000 per year.

Steve Webb: Estimates from the Family Resources Survey show that in 2008-09 there were 700,000 people in the UK in receipt of private pension income of between £17,500 and £30,000 per year.
	 Notes:
	1. The Family Resources Survey is a nationally representative sample of approximately 25,000 households in the United Kingdom. Data for 2008-09 was collected between April 2008 and March 2009.
	2. The figures from the Family Resources Survey are based on a sample of households which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the Family Resources Survey to Government office region population by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error.
	3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand adults.
	 Source:
	DWP analysis of 2008-09 Family Resources Survey.

Public Expenditure

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people in  (a) Glasgow North East constituency,  (b) Glasgow,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Great Britain who will be affected by the change in the under-occupancy rules affecting 25 to 35-year-olds over the period of the comprehensive spending review; and if he will estimate the average change to their annual incomes.

Steve Webb: It is estimated that in Great Britain by the end of the comprehensive spending review period 88,000 people aged 25 to 34 who would otherwise have received the one bedroom rate of local housing allowance may instead be assessed at the shared accommodation rate. On average their annual housing benefit award will be around £2,500 lower in 2014-15 than it would have been if assessed at the one bedroom rate.
	Estimates of the local and regional effects will be published when the relevant regulations are laid later this year.
	 Note
	The figure of £2,500 is rounded to nearest £500.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what criteria working families would be exempted from the proposed overall benefit cap.

Chris Grayling: As the spending review announced, households which contain a member who is in receipt of working tax credit will be exempt from the cap. We are still considering the precise criteria for an equivalent exemption under universal credit.
	In addition, war widows and war widowers and households that contain a member who is in receipt of disability living allowance or constant attendance allowance will be exempt from the benefit cap.
	We are looking at ways of easing the transition for families and providing assistance in hard cases.

Social Security Benefits: Autism

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on requiring  (a) knowledge and  (b) understanding of autism spectrum disorder in (i) the training of assessors and (ii) the conduct of assessments for work capability assessments.

Chris Grayling: All Atos health care professionals (HCP's) who carry out assessments for employment and support allowance receive training on autistic spectrum disorders. As part of induction training they are issued with evidence-based protocols on mental health conditions which include information on autistic spectrum disorders. In addition, the training for all registered nurses and physiotherapists includes cases with role players where autistic spectrum disorder is the principal diagnosis.
	Following this, all HCP's are required to engage in a programme of continuing medical education and Atos, in conjunction with the DWP, have developed a number of training modules specifically on autistic spectrum disorders as part of this.

Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the UK of the EU Agenda for new skills and jobs proposals for the future of social security systems; whether such proposals will entail  (a) costs to the public purse and  (b) transfers of powers from the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Commission Communication "An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs" makes no specific proposals in relation to social security beyond calling for an awareness campaign on the EU social security coordination rules so that citizens understand their rights when moving within Europe. This campaign has been designed by the European Commission and does not involve any direct costs to the public purse or transfer of powers from the UK. Furthermore, the campaign does not change in any way conditions for receiving social security benefits, and the UK already has in place strict controls on access to non-contributory benefits for migrants.
	The Communication also refers to social security as one of four components of the policy concept of "flexicurity". This was defined by Council Principles in December 2007. The term is applied to a range of measures within national competence under the long-running European Employment Strategy, now incorporated into Europe 2020, which allows for coordination between member states. Flexicurity seeks to improve the flexibility of labour markets while providing adequate security of employment. The UK is one of the leading models in this regard and we are promoting our approaches to welfare reform with other countries so that across the EU more people are in employment.

Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK of EU proposals to maximise the potential contribution of migration to full employment; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The European Commission report "An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs" was published on 23 November 2010. My Department has not made a specific assessment of the implications of this report. It acknowledges that the main responsibility for policy in this area rests with member states and none of the proposals it makes imply any change to existing rules on EU migration.
	Issues which the report considers include barriers to employment created by discrimination and non-recognition of skills. These can adversely affect the employment prospects of UK nationals seeking work in other EU countries as well as those of EU nationals who would like to work in the UK.
	The UK Government have stated their intention to reduce migration levels over the lifetime of this Parliament. An annual limit on the number of non-EU workers will be introduced in April 2011 to ensure only those with the skills the country needs can come to the UK from outside the EU to work.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the evidential basis is for his estimate that universal credit will lead to a reduction of 300,000 in the number of workless households.

Chris Grayling: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the latest universal credit impact assessment available on the Department for Work and Pensions website.

Universal Credit

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of splitting payments under the universal credit to partners in two person couples with children.

Maria Miller: Under universal credit, couples living in the same household will make a joint claim for the benefit payment and we assume that ordinarily the payment will be made as a single sum to the household. In recognition of the fact that different households organise their finances and budget in different ways, we are allowing couples to decide between them whether the money goes to a joint bank account or to one or other of them.
	However, there may be exceptional cases that require alternative arrangements and the Government intend to retain power to arrange payments to couples to offer safeguards. We are considering the circumstances for and details of these alternative arrangements, and work is ongoing. For example, where there is proven abuse of the money by one partner, the Government already have and will retain the power to direct payments to the other partner, or there may be instances where it is more appropriate to divide the payment.

Universal Credit: Disability

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether  (a) statutory sick pay and  (b) employment and support allowance claimed for the first six months of an illness be treated as earnings when calculating earnings disregard for the purposes of his proposed universal credit.

Maria Miller: There are no grounds for treating employment support allowance as earnings.
	It may be logical to treat payments such as statutory sick pay in the same way as earnings as they are paid by employers. Final decisions have not yet been made.

Universal Credit: Disability

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any extra support offered to disabled people in receipt of universal credit will be available to those who  (a) live alone and  (b) do not have a carer.

Maria Miller: The Government's aim for universal credit is to simplify the current complex array of overlapping premiums to ensure that disabled people benefit from improved work incentives as well as supporting those in greatest need. The aim is that universal credit will include additional amounts that correspond to the two components currently payable in employment and support allowance.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the annual effect on his Department's expenditure of removing the entitlement to winter fuel allowance from persons with an annual income of more than  (a) £50,000 and  (b) £100,000.

Steve Webb: Winter fuel payment eligibility covers those who are over female state pension age (including men who have yet to reach the male state pension age of 65) and are ordinarily resident in the UK.
	Information on winter fuel payment eligibility and households with higher annual incomes is available from data collected in the Family Resources Survey.
	 (a) If entitlement to winter fuel payments were restricted to those in households with annual net Before Housing Costs income of £50,000 or less, it is estimated that the total winter fuel payment bill for Great Britain would reduce by £110 million per year.
	 (b) If entitlement to winter fuel payments were restricted to those in households with annual net before housing costs income of £100,000 or less, it is estimated that the total winter fuel payment bill for Great Britain would reduce by £20 million per year.
	In 2011/12, winter fuel payment expenditure is forecast to be £2.082 billion. As such, the saving represented by restricting to those in households with annual net before housing costs income of £50,000 or less represents 5% of these payments, while restricting to those with £100,000 or less represents 1%.
	 Notes:
	1. Information on household income and eligibility for winter fuel payments are available from the Family Resources Survey, for which 2008-09 is the latest year available.
	2. Estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. For this reason savings are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
	3. For the purpose of this question, net household incomes before housing costs have been used. This includes net earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Incomes are net of income tax, national insurance and council tax. In practice, the level of savings may vary due to how this would be implemented.
	4. Savings to winter fuel payment expenditure use the 2011-12 expenditure forecasts and are therefore based on a £200 payment to households containing someone aged over female state pension age, with an additional £100 payment to households containing someone aged 80 or over. There are additional rules determining how much households containing more than one eligible individual and individuals in receipt of certain benefits receive. These additional rules are also included in the calculations. Family Resources Survey data has been used to calculate the proportion of expenditure which goes to the high income households as specified.

Work Capability Assessment

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has engaged Unum in the  (a) design and  (b) administration of the (i) work capability assessment and (ii) appeals process.

Chris Grayling: The work capability assessment was developed in 2008 with the assistance of technical working groups. As you may be aware, the Government consult widely with stakeholders and sources of public and private sector expertise, to ensure that its policies are evidence-based. Two Unum employees, a doctor and an occupational therapist, were invited to join the technical working group that carried out the review of the personal capability assessment. As with all members of the technical working group they were appointed as recognised experts in benefit assessment and in supporting return to work for people with disability.
	I can confirm that since the initial review of the personal capability assessment as part of the technical working groups, that representatives of the company, Unum, have not been involved in either the administration or review of the work capability assessment.
	The Department of Work and Pension has also not engaged with Unum in the design or administration of the appeals process.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Ethics

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to publish the Government's corporate responsibility strategy.

Edward Davey: The Government believe that all businesses can play a part in tackling the social, environmental and economic challenges we face-and benefit commercially in the process-by minimising the negative social and environmental impacts of their activities and maximising the positive. Encouraging responsible behaviour by business through the alignment of market incentives with positive social outcomes is relevant in a broad range of policy areas across Government.
	The Prime Minister recently launched the Every Business Commits agenda, calling on businesses to help create a more sustainable and community-centred approach to doing business.
	More broadly the Government are focused on influencing the development of international policy on corporate responsibility, including through engagement with the European Commission, and work to update the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
	There are no current plans to publish a specific document setting the Government's strategy for corporate responsibility.

Business: North East

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on how many occasions his Department has consulted representatives of small businesses in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency on the effects of proposed new regulations since his appointment.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has launched 34 written consultations since May 2010. These are available for viewing on the Department's Internet site at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/Consultations
	BIS seeks views on these from businesses from all regions and of all sizes, including those of small businesses. The specific information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Business: Regulation

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the progress of implementation of the Government's one-in, one-out policy in respect of domestic legislation affecting business and the third sector.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 18 March 2011
	The One-in, One-Out policy took effect from autumn 2011. It applies to domestic regulation and the Government plan to release a Statement of Regulation shortly. The Statement of Regulation will detail the classification of regulation due to come into effect in the first half of 2011 as either an In, Out or net zero measure. To ensure the analysis underpinning the regulatory measures is accurate, all measures are independently validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee.

Business: Rural Areas

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to reduce the burden of administration on rural businesses.

Mark Prisk: Rural economies have a greater reliance on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and this means it is especially important that the administrative burden is proportionate and fair if they are to thrive.
	All Ministers in Government are committed to this. Rural businesses will benefit from a number of initiatives I am taking, such as amending the Companies Act to bring small company audit rules in line with the EU minimum in 2012, saving UK companies up to £40 million in unnecessary audit fees.
	In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have commissioned research to reduce the regulatory burdens on very small businesses by examining how environmental regulation impacts on micro businesses, including those in rural areas, and how it can be designed in ways that minimises the burden while still achieving environmental outcomes.

Departmental Public Bodies

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 March 2011,  Official Report, columns 9-10WS, on the public bodies reform programme, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department net of costs incurred in the assumption of additional departmental responsibilities to accrue from  (a) the abolition of 22 public bodies within his Department's area of responsibility,  (b) the merger of five such bodies and  (c) the change in function of one such body.

Edward Davey: On 16 March 2011 the Minister for the Cabinet Office issued a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on progress on public bodies reform. That statement also announced that Departments estimate that cumulative administrative savings of at least £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period.
	I anticipate cumulative administrative budget savings from those public bodies sponsored by BIS which are undergoing structural reforms to be £737 million over the spending review period, with additional costs of transition including redundancies to be funded from the Department's programme budgets. Overall administrative cost reductions from all of BIS's public bodies are estimated to be £882 million over the spending review period.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what regulations his Department introduced between 9 and 28 February 2011.

Mark Prisk: Between 9 February and 28 February 2011 BIS introduced seven regulations. These are:
	The Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Companies, Overseas Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships) (Amendment) Regulations 2011;
	The Registrar of Companies (Fees) (Limited Partnerships) (Amendment) Regulations 2011;
	The Registrar of Companies (Fees) (European Economic Interest Grouping) (Amendment) Regulations 2011;
	The Patents County Court (Financial Limits) Order 2011;
	The Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations 2011;
	The Student Fees (Amounts) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011;
	The Export Control (Amendment) Order 2011.

Foundation Courses: Universities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which universities in England offer foundation degrees; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such degrees in increasing access to university education.

David Willetts: Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record show that 42,330 entrants were registered on foundation degree courses with 97 English higher education institutions (HEIs) in academic year 2009/10, as shown in the following table.
	With almost 100,000 students studying foundation degrees in 2009/10, such courses are now a significant part of the higher education landscape, alongside long-established HE qualifications such as the Higher National Diploma. These qualifications play a key role in helping to equip the current and the future work force with the associate professional and technician-level skills that will play an important role in delivering economic growth.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England produces an annual report on foundation degree key statistics, describing the key characteristics of courses and students. The latest report showed that of those students registered at an HEI, and gaining their foundation degree award in 2007/08, 59% of students who studied full-time and 42% of those who studied part-time went on to study for an honours degree the following year.
	
		
			  Foundation degree entrants( 1)  by higher education institution-English higher education institutions academic year 2009/10 
			  Higher education institution  Entrants 
			 Open University 3,410 
			 University of Plymouth 2,935 
			 University of Central Lancashire 1,825 
			 University of Teesside 1,245 
			 Staffordshire University 1,200 
			 University of the Arts, London 1,125 
			 University of Greenwich 1,065 
			 University of Kent 1,020 
			 University of Sunderland 935 
			 University of Hertfordshire 900 
			 University of Brighton 885 
			 University of Essex 880 
			 University of Huddersfield 855 
			 Edge Hill University 835 
			 Bournemouth University 830 
			 Anglia Ruskin University 805 
			 Thames Valley University 805 
			 Kingston University 795 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 780 
			 University of Worcester 640 
			 University Campus Suffolk 640 
			 Buckinghamshire New University 605 
			 University of Wolverhampton 600 
			 University of Chester 590 
			 De Montfort University 590 
			 University of Bedfordshire 585 
			 University of Northampton 585 
			 University College Birmingham 555 
			 Canterbury Christ Church University 550 
			 Bath Spa University 510 
			 London South Bank University 490 
			 London Metropolitan University 475 
			 Oxford Brookes University 470 
			 University of Derby 450 
			 University of Cumbria 440 
			 University of Bolton 405 
			 Manchester Metropolitan University 400 
			 University of East Anglia 400 
			 University of Portsmouth 365 
			 Middlesex University 340 
			 Birmingham City University 335 
			 University of Bath 330 
			 Harper Adams University College 320 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 305 
			 Nottingham Trent University 300 
			 University of Birmingham 300 
			 Arts University College at Bournemouth 280 
			 Southampton Solent University 275 
			 University of Hull 275 
			 Leeds Metropolitan University 250 
			 University of Gloucestershire 245 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 245 
			 Aston University 245 
			 University of Northumbria at Newcastle 235 
			 University of Salford 230 
			 York St John University 220 
			 University of East London 220 
			 University of Chichester 210 
			 University of Winchester 205 
			 Birkbeck College 205 
			 Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication 200 
			 University of Leicester 190 
			 Conservatoire for Dance and Drama 190 
			 University of Bradford 185 
			 University of Lincoln 175 
			 Newman University College 150 
			 Roehampton University 150 
			 Coventry University 150 
			 Norwich University College of the Arts 140 
			 City University 135 
			 University of Southampton 130 
			 St Marys University College, Twickenham 110 
			 University of Warwick 110 
			 St Georges Hospital Medical School 100 
			 Writtle College 100 
			 Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln 95 
			 Liverpool Hope University 95 
			 University of Westminster 90 
			 University College Plymouth St Mark and St John 85 
			 University of Sussex 80 
			 Leeds Trinity University College 75 
			 University for the Creative Arts 65 
			 University of Leeds 60 
			 Institute of Education 55 
			 Royal Agricultural College 50 
			 University of Reading 45 
			 Leeds College of Music 45 
			 University of Surrey 35 
			 University of Bristol 30 
			 Royal Northern College of Music 25 
			 University of Lancaster 25 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield College 25 
			 Royal Veterinary College 25 
			 University of Sheffield 25 
			 Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance 20 
			 Heythrop College 15 
			 University of York 10 
			 Total English HEIs 42,330 
			 (1) Covers entrants of all domiciles to both full-time and part-time foundation degree courses.  Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record.

Higher Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many university spin-offs were established by each higher education institution in each of the last five years; and how many such spin-offs were active three years after their establishment.

David Willetts: Data on the number of university spin-offs are collected by the Higher Education-Business and Community Interaction survey (HE-BCI), which is currently conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
	Table 1 shows (a) the number of formal university spin-offs and (b) the number of formal university spin-offs still active after three years, for each UK higher education institution (HEI).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of spin-offs, by higher education institution, 2005-06 to 2009-10( 1, 2, 3) 
			   (a) Formal spin-offs established  (b) Formal spin-offs still active after three years 
			  Institution  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Cranfield University 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 6 5 4 
			 Royal College of Art 1 5 3 7 13 0 2 2 2 3 
			 Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Darlington College of Arts 0 1 - - - 0 0 - - - 
			 University College Falmouth 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 
			 University of Winchester 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 
			 University of the Arts London 3 2 3 20 32 1 0 2 3 2 
			 University of Northampton 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Ravensbourne 0 0 0 0 27 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bournemouth University 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 3 4 4 
			 Coventry University 0 2 2 11 10 2 4 6 7 10 
			 University of Derby 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 University of East London 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 University of Greenwich 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 
			 University of Hertfordshire 0 0 3 4 3 5 4 3 4 3 
			 University of Huddersfield 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Kingston University 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 
			 Leeds Metropolitan University 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 6 11 7 3 0 12 13 13 9 6 
			 Manchester Metropolitan University 4 3 0 4 4 4 1 0 3 3 
			 Middlesex University 1 5 4 3 3 9 5 4 3 3 
			 De Montfort University 1 0 4 1 0 5 7 5 4 6 
			 University of Northumbria at Newcastle 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Nottingham Trent University 0 0 2 1 1 4 4 2 4 3 
			 Oxford Brookes University 0 1 3 5 5 1 1 1 2 4 
			 University of Plymouth 1 3 1 0 8 6 5 5 6 7 
			 University of Portsmouth 3 5 1 1 0 5 3 3 3 3 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 0 0 1 1 0 5 5 5 6 2 
			 London South Bank University 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 2 1 
			 Staffordshire University 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 University of Sunderland 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 
			 Teesside University 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 2 
			 The University of West London 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 
			 University of Chichester 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 University of Westminster 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 1 1 
			 University of Wolverhampton 2 0 0 0 0 3 3 4 5 2 
			 University of Wales, Newport 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 
			 Glyndwr University 3 8 5 0 0 2 2 7 6 0 
			 University of Wales Institute, Cardiff 0 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			 University of Glamorgan 3 1 1 5 2 4 3 6 5 6 
			 Swansea Metropolitan University 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 6 6 
			 Trinity University College 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 2 3 
			 University of Abertay Dundee 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 3 
			 Queen Margaret University Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Robert Gordon University 6 7 5 0 1 0 1 4 4 4 
			 University of the West of Scotland 1 0 2 0 3 1 2 2 0 3 
			 Glasgow Caledonian University 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 2 
			 Edinburgh Napier University 0 11 7 1 1 0 8 6 4 0 
			 Aston University 3 3 1 1 10 3 6 7 9 9 
			 University of Bath 1 1 1 2 0 4 4 5 6 6 
			 University of Birmingham 7 0 4 1 0 23 20 20 25 20 
			 University of Bradford 1 2 7 0 9 5 4 4 6 6 
			 University of Bristol 4 0 2 2 0 25 18 18 22 24 
			 Brunel University 1 5 7 7 5 7 5 6 6 5 
			 University of Cambridge 8 2 1 0 2 30 34 51 55 48 
			 City University, London 0 2 2 3 5 1 2 1 1 2 
			 University of Durham 1 2 3 2 6 17 17 12 16 15 
			 University of East Anglia 1 1 0 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 
			 University of Essex 0 0 0 1 1 3 2 1 0 1 
			 University of Exeter 2 0 2 1 2 8 9 10 9 10 
			 University of Hull 1 2 3 8 8 5 3 5 5 6 
			 Keele University 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 3 2 3 
			 University of Kent 4 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 3 
			 Lancaster University 4 1 5 2 1 4 4 7 10 12 
			 University of Leeds 4 5 8 1 1 27 26 19 25 23 
			 University of Leicester 0 16 16 17 17 6 10 12 13 14 
			 University of Liverpool 10 7 1 20 4 14 11 20 14 18 
			 Birkbeck College 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Goldsmiths College, University of London 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Imperial College London 10 13 15 2 4 53 42 63 64 70 
			 Kings College London 3 0 0 0 0 14 15 14 16 15 
			 Queen Mary, University of London 2 2 1 1 1 6 6 9 9 9 
			 Royal Holloway, University of London 3 2 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 3 
			 Royal Veterinary College 0 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 0 
			 St George's Hospital Medical School 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 4 3 3 
			 School of Pharmacy 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 4 4 5 
			 University College London 3 7 2 2 3 27 31 29 30 30 
			 Loughborough University 1 2 2 0 0 14 15 17 15 15 
			 University of Newcastle upon Tyne 2 0 5 5 5 12 15 11 13 15 
			 University of Nottingham 1 4 2 2 2 12 15 17 13 17 
			 University of Oxford 7 7 2 4 2 42 45 43 38 39 
			 University of Reading 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 3 3 2 
			 University of Salford 1 1 0 9 9 13 13 9 9 9 
			 University of Sheffield 6 8 0 0 2 33 42 46 49 46 
			 University of Southampton 3 0 0 1 0 15 17 17 15 14 
			 University of Surrey 0 4 2 0 2 7 10 9 12 10 
			 University of Sussex 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 4 4 2 
			 University of Warwick 10 0 2 1 2 14 11 18 20 15 
			 University of York 1 1 0 0 0 9 14 16 16 16 
			 University of Edinburgh 3 5 6 1 8 24 34 38 54 57 
			 University of Glasgow 1 2 0 3 2 10 11 14 15 13 
			 University of Strathclyde 2 2 3 2 6 30 35 33 34 33 
			 University of Aberdeen 3 2 3 4 2 14 14 18 22 23 
			 Heriot-Watt University 2 1 1 0 0 13 13 14 0 0 
			 University of Dundee 3 0 1 2 2 14 16 17 19 15 
			 University of St Andrews 1 0 4 1 1 7 10 11 12 13 
			 University of Wales, Trinity Saint David 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 
			 Aberystwyth University 5 3 4 2 2 8 8 7 5 5 
			 Bangor University 2 5 7 0 3 2 6 7 5 5 
			 Cardiff University 2 2 1 1 3 18 19 19 23 26 
			 Swansea University 6 9 9 1 0 0 5 11 14 12 
			 Queen's University Belfast 1 1 3 2 0 29 35 34 33 35 
			 University of Ulster 0 1 7 5 2 9 10 14 14 13 
			 Institute of Cancer Research 1 0 0 6 7 5 5 4 5 5 
			 University of Manchester 4 8 4 2 3 0 32 32 34 35 
			 Total 186 226 219 215 273 746 844 923 976 969 
			 (1) Spin-offs include those with some HEI ownership. (2) 2005/06 to 2007/08 data collected by HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England); 2008/09 to 2009/10 by HESA. (3) HEI's not listed had no spin-offs recorded in the last five years.  Source: Higher Education-Business and Community Interaction survey (HE-BCI).

Higher Education: Admissions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to write to state school pupils to encourage them to apply to particular universities; to which universities he plans to encourage applications; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: We are considering a range of options that might help prompt able young people to consider and apply to university, and to achieve their full potential.
	This Government are committed to widening participation and fair access to higher education. We are establishing a new framework, with increased responsibility on universities to widen participation. Universities wanting to charge more than a £6,000 annual graduate contribution will have to demonstrate what more they will do to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds through outreach activities, targeted scholarships and other financial support. The Director of the Office for Fair Access issued guidance to universities on 8 March setting out his expectations of what Access Agreements should cover. Universities wanting to charge more than a £6,000 graduate contribution will also have to participate in the new National Scholarships Programme, which will be worth £150 million by 2014-15.

Higher Education: Admissions

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what minimum UCAS tariff score he is setting for entrants to university, in line with the recommendation made by Lord Browne in his review.

David Willetts: Lord Browne's recommendations on a tariff were intended to introduce more competition into the system by allowing institutions with higher demand to expand in response to student choice. While we currently have no plans to introduce a minimum tariff score for entry to higher education, we are interested in exploring whether there could be some categories of students with higher UCAS scores for whom a tariff approach could work. But decisions about admission to university will remain a matter for individual universities, and not for Government. We will set out proposals in the forthcoming White Paper.

Office of Fair Access: Universities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which universities have not met the access benchmarks agreed with the Office of Fair Access in each year since that Office's inception; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: This is a matter for the director of Fair Access. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his response in the Libraries of the House.
	To date, Office of Fair Access (OFFA) has published sector level summary information on progress on milestones. This information is available in the relevant annual reports describing monitoring outcomes, available at:
	www.offa.org.uk
	From September 2012, the director of Fair Access will assess annually the progress made by each institution towards appropriate benchmarks and other measures of widening participation, access and student retention that Higher Education Institutions will have agreed with OFFA through their access agreements. OFFA will require institutions to publish a summary of their progress against their milestones and targets each year.

Post Offices: Closures

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  which post office branches were under long-term temporary closure on 1 March 2011;
	(2)  how many post office branches were under long-term temporary closure on 1 March 2011; and how many of these were  (a) Crown post offices,  (b) full-time sub-post offices,  (c) part-time sub-post offices,  (d) franchise branches,  (e) satellite branches, and  (f) outreach branches;
	(3)  how many post office branches there were on 1 March 2011; and how many of these were  (a) Crown post offices,  (b) full-time sub-post offices,  (c) part-time sub-post offices,  (d) franchise branches,  (e) satellite branches,  (f) outreach branches and  (g) under long-term temporary closure.

Edward Davey: The information requested is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the right hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Public Sector: Training

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans his Department has to support the re-training and re-skilling of public sector workers.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply.
	All individuals, including public sector workers, are able to access the further education (FE) and skills system to re-train and re-skill. The Government's Skills Strategy, Skills for Sustainable Growth, sets out how the FE and skills system will be reformed to better support and improve the skills of the workforce, the performance of the economy and engagement in learning.
	As part of this strategy Government have announced plans to make available more apprenticeship places. In the NHS, for example, of the 8,167 apprenticeships in 2009/10, 60% were taken up by the current work force.

Regional Growth Fund

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to inform applicants to the regional growth fund of the outcome of their application.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 18 March 2011
	 The Government welcome the very strong response to the first round of bidding to the regional growth fund. Applications are being appraised and we aim to make public the outcome of that round and inform applicants as soon as possible.

Science and Technology Funding Council

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Science and Technology Funding Council; and how much his Department has allocated it in each of  (a) the last five years and  (b) the next three years.

David Willetts: The Performance Management System (PMS) for Research Councils was introduced in 2005 and has three elements: Delivery Plans set out the key deliverables for the spending review period; Scorecards record progress over the previous months, together with targets and risks for the coming period; and an Output Framework is published annually and includes information on economic impact, knowledge generation and exchange, and public engagement. As part of PMS, performance review meetings are held every six months between BIS and each of the Research Councils and Research Councils UK. A revised process which reduces the burden, but keeps the essence of the system, will be in place for the next financial year.
	The allocations to STFC are as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			  (a)( 1)  
			 2007-08 573,464 
			 2008-09 623,641 
			 2009-10 630,337 
			 2010-11 651,635 
			   
			  (b )( 2)  
			 2011-12 538,009 
			 2012-13 519,398 
			 2013-14 516,627 
			 (1) The STFC was formed on 1 April 2007, so there are no allocations before then. (2) The allocations from 2011-12 onwards are not on a comparable basis to previous years because substantial activities will transfer from STFC to the UK Space Agency when the Agency is established on 1 April 2011.

Science: Females

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage girls to choose science, technology, engineering or mathematics at A level.

Nick Gibb: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are funding a number of initiatives to encourage the greater participation of girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects) at GCSE, A Level and beyond. These include:
	Commissioning the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), and the National Strategies to look at ways to help widen participation in mathematics with a particular focus on engaging more girls (including reviewing the ways in which schools approach how mathematics is delivered);
	Identifying resources that will engage girls more in these subjects;
	Establishing the Stimulating Physics network to provide support at regional level to widen participation in A level physics; and
	The network of Science Learning Centres disseminating best practice from their Girls into Physics action research programme.
	In addition, the STEM Ambassadors programme arranges for over 20,000 individuals drawn from more than 1,500 employers to volunteer their time and expertise to help schools and colleges, acting as role models and enhancing and enriching their pupils' understanding of, and enthusiasm for, STEM subjects. Almost 50% of the current STEM Ambassadors are female.
	In 2010, more girls than boys were entered for GCSE Mathematics, and AS and A Level Biology.

Technology Strategy Board

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding the Technology Strategy Board allocated to each  (a) university and  (b) further education college in England in each of the last five years; how much it plans to allocate in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 8 March 2011
	 The Executive Technology Strategy Board was established as an non-departmental public Body in July 2007. Technology Strategy Board grant funding to individual universities and further education colleges in England is detailed as follows although it should be noted that funding announced in a given year will often support activities over subsequent years, usually no more than three years.
	Future allocations cannot however be specified as grant funding is awarded to business led research projects on the basis of their technical and economic case, and there is no pre-allocation of funds for collaborations with the knowledge base.
	
		
			  2008  £ 
			  Universities  
			 Anglia Ruskin University 324,508 
			 Aston University 164,835 
			 Birkbeck, University of London 41,144 
			 Birmingham City University 374,571 
			 Bournemouth University 111,208 
			 Brunel University 704,169 
			 Buckinghamshire New University 139,344 
			 City University 114,610 
			 Coventry University 600,568 
			 Cranfield University 1,364,165 
			 De Montfort University 1,372,509 
			 Heriot-Watt University 290,539 
			 Imperial College London 2,664,490 
			 Keele University 78,793 
			 Kingston University 358,260 
			 Lancaster University 282,107 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 661,897 
			 London Metropolitan University 124,880 
			 London South Bank University 555,268 
			 Loughborough University 1,091,557 
			 Manchester Metropolitan University 411,831 
			 Newcastle University 805,633 
			 Nottingham Trent University 408,302 
			 Oxford Brookes University 516,960 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 269,098 
			 Staffordshire University 271,313 
			 Teesside University 473,528 
			 The Open University 84,199 
			 The University of Birmingham 1,394,235 
			 The University of Bolton 539,726 
			 The University of Huddersfield 218,130 
			 The University of Hull 148,642 
			 The University of Liverpool 2,433,673 
			 The University of Manchester 1,248,459 
			 The University of Northampton 323,141 
			 The University of Nottingham 2,238,492 
			 The University of Reading 813,192 
			 The University of Sheffield 2,414,117 
			 The University of Southampton 1,774,408 
			 The University of Sussex 389,176 
			 The University of Warwick 491,385 
			 University College London 1,641,422 
			 University of Bath 1,263,502 
			 University of Bradford 637,045 
			 University of Brighton 877,306 
			 University of Bristol 1,443,909 
			 University of Cambridge 1,066,674 
			 University of Central Lancashire 133,089 
			 University of Cumbria 58,664 
			 University of Derby 70,517 
			 University of Durham 656,232 
			 University of East London 202,947 
			 University of Exeter 1,026,546 
			 University of Gloucestershire 609,182 
			 University of Greenwich 399,040 
			 University of Hertfordshire 512,887 
			 University of Kent 200,465 
			 University of Leeds 1,628,159 
			 University of Leicester 196,830 
			 University of Lincoln 122,914 
			 University of London 652,169 
			 University of Northumbria at Newcastle 216,736 
			 University of Oxford 74,713 
			 University of Plymouth 421,912 
			 University of Portsmouth 351,870 
			 University of Salford 69,539 
			 University of Surrey 443,901 
			 University of the West of England Bristol 742,354 
			 University of Warwick 474,801 
			 University of Westminster 171,024 
			 University of Wolverhampton 990,248 
			 Total 46,443,659 
			   
			  FE colleges  
			 Hereward College 23,000 
			 Kingston College 71,704 
			 London College of Fashion 2,900 
			 Peterborough Regional College 51,283 
			 Runshaw College 68,044 
			 West Nottinghamshire College 51,283 
			 Total 245,214

Technology Strategy Board

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff were employed by the Technology Strategy Board in each of the last three years; how many he expects to be employed in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 14 March 2011
	 The Technology Strategy Board employs both permanent staff, and secondees and interims from business. Breakdown of staff numbers is as follows:
	
		
			   Payroll employees  Secondees and interim appointments 
			 March 2009 62 41 
			 March 2010 98 24 
			 March 2011 101 35 
		
	
	While the Technology Strategy Board will have a reduced administrative budget in future years, we cannot specify the number of staff that will be employed over the next three years or the balance between permanent staff and secondees and interims however as this will have to reflect the nature of its programmes going forward including delivery of new activities such as Technology and Innovation Centres.

Technology Strategy Board

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses received funding from the Technology Strategy Board in each of the last three years; how many he expects to receive funding in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 14 March 2011
	During the period 2008-10 the Technology Strategy Board provided collaborative Research & Development funding to over 1,700 individual businesses. In addition, over 1,300 individual businesses have participated in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) managed by the Technology Strategy Board. However, funding for KTPs goes to the academic partner in the partnership, with the businesses involved paying their own costs.
	It will not be possible to specify the number of businesses that will receive funding in future years however, as this is allocated through a competitive process with collaborative R&D projects ranging in scale from £10,000 to £100 million.

Trade: Somalia

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of Somali piracy on UK trade.

Mark Prisk: It is not possible to make an effective assessment of the potential effects of Somali piracy on UK trade. Many companies will have taken steps to respond to the threat to their goods posed by the piracy, leading to an increase in the costs of shipping. Some shipments have been rerouted to the west coast of Africa. However, decisions have been made on a case by case basis by the companies concerned.
	During 2010, approximately 23,000 ships, with $952 billion of trade transited the Gulf of Aden. Of these ships fewer than 0.01% were hijacked.

Veterinary Medicine

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many places to study for veterinary science qualifications are available in universities in England in the academic year 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: This information is not available, we do not plan for the number of students at a course or subject level. The actual number of places on veterinary courses will depend on the decisions of individual universities. We expect the total number of places on all courses in 2011/12 to be broadly similar to 2010/11.